Civitavecchia, in the Maremma Laziale, at the foot of the Tolfa Mountains, boasts natural beauties and a history, that hovers over the sea, the port and the extraordinary archaeological sites.
The origins of Civitavecchia date back to 106 AD, when the emperor Trajan established here a strategic port for the ships heading towards the west and the centre of the peninsula. The commercially important “Porto di Roma” was also called Centumcellae, due to the many storage warehouses.
In front of Civitavecchia, the wreck of a Roman ship from the second-first century BC has been brought to light from a depth of 160 metres. It preserves hundreds of Roman amphorae, many of whom still intact. By the wreck, two Roman metal anchor stocks have been found.
At the beginning of April, at the Port, Santa Fermina is celebrated with the Palio Marinaro, a regatta among the eight historic districts of Civitavecchia. The event also includes collective art and photography exhibitions and a procession.
In 2025, the “Amerigo Vespucci”, the Italian Navy training ship considered the most beautiful in the world, will arrive in Civitavecchia to welcome on board the visitors, who will be able to admire its splendid interiors.
Forte Michelangelo 6 – www.comune.civitavecchia.it
The imposing Forte Michelangelo, also known as Fortezza Giulia, or Rocca Nova, was built on a preexisting imperial building by order of Pope Giulio II in 1508 and completed in 1537 by Pope Paolo III.
Forte Michelangelo
The village of Civitavecchia developed around this Fortress, the scenery of important war events, which was built to protect the port. The latter witnessed a considerable rebirth thanks to the export of the alum mineral from the Tolfa Mountains. The restoration of Forte Michelangelo was entrusted to the major architects of the papal court, from Donato Bramante to Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. In 1535, Pope Paolo III Farnese commissioned part of the project to Michelangelo Buonarroti and, finally, the last works were carried out by Domenico Zanobio between 1538 and 1539.
The internal square of Forte Michelangelo is accessible to visitors, but only on certain days of the year.
The “Museo Archeologico Nazionale” of Civitavecchia
A few steps from Forte Michelangelo, the former papal customs, an eighteenth-century building commissioned by Clemente XIII, houses the “Museo Archeologico Nazionale”, which, on its three exhibition floors, displays precious archaeological finds from Civitavecchia, Santa Marinella, Allumiere and Tolfa, such as Etruscan, Corinthian and Greek ceramics, bucchero ware, bronze ornaments, lamps and glasses.
Piazza Leandra – www.comune.civitavecchia.rm.it
Piazza Leandra lies in the hearth of the old village, enriched by a medieval fountain and surrounded by ancient buildings, like the Chiesa della Stella from 1688. According to an ancient legend, during the Saracen invasion of 828 AD, the sailor Leandro persuaded the inhabitants to return to the old Centumcellae, today’s Civitavecchia. Others argue that the name Leandra would refer to the oleander, the local tree.
In 1972, during the restoration works of an apartment in Piazza Leandra, mysterious frescoes were found, tempera reproductions of the Heliodorus’ Room in the Vatican, a work by Raphael’s school. The frescoes can be admired on a guided tour by reservation.
The Terme di Ficoncella – www.comune.civitavecchia.rm.it
“Se te voi guarì, al ficoncio a da venì“
(if you want to get better, come to Ficoncio)
Says the ancient proverb that refers to the therapeutic waters of the Terme di Ficoncella, named after a nearby fig tree. Known since ancient times, it has welcomed, among important figures, the emperor Traiano, and even Giuseppe Garibaldi. The complex consists of five natural pools with a temperature between 30°C and 56°C, accessible all year.
The Terme Taurine , archaeological site – www.comune.civitavecchia.rm.it
But the most famous baths are the Terme Taurine, an archaeological site dating back to the first and second centuries BC, also known as the Baths of Trajan, the founder of Civitavecchia.
The Terme Taurine or Trajan’s Baths
The baths, overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea from the top of a hill, were praised by the poet Rutilio Claudio Namaziano, who also explained the origins of their name. Legend has it that a bull (Taurus in Latin) would have scratched the ground before a fight, until the beneficial sulphurous waters gushed forth.
The pools, the massage rooms and the whole thermal complex are decorated with friezes, mosaics and marbles, recalling the ancient splendour. The adjacent park hosts the renowned Horti Traianei, a flourishing botanical garden. The archaeological site and the guided tours are managed by the local “Pro Loco”.
“Terme in Fiore” in the Baths of Trajan in Civitavecchia – Facebook @termeinfiore
At the end of March, “Terme in Fiore”, the national market exhibition of gardening and unusual plants is held at the Baths of Trajan. It welcomes floriculturists, agriculture companies, and refined artisans.
It is said that, on February 2, 1995, in Civitavecchia, a miracle occurred, when a statue of the Virgin from Medjugorie cried blood tears. The plaster sculpture is now kept in the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Pantano.
The local cuisine mainly includes fish dishes, but also worth tasting are the local Sambuca liqueur and the Easter pizza, based on an ancient recipe. Its ingredients are flour, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, chocolate, special old reserve wine, ricotta, star anise, seed oil, butter, vanilla, and a sprinkle of alkermes liqueur.
The preparation of the traditional Easter pizza is resumed in these verses by a local poet:
“La pizza che se fa’ a Civitavecchia
sotto la Pasqua, è così combinata:
zucchero, ova, cannella, cioccolata,
vino speciale de riserva vecchia;
Ricotta, farina, anice stellata,
e su base de ‘na ricetta vecchia,
olio de semi, burro e poi ‘n ‘antecchia
d’arkermes e vaniglia zuccherata.”
The rhyme reveals the secret ingredient, the ricotta cheese. The moment in which the Easter pizza is served is called l’ora de la sciorta della Gloria.