Ancient Aletrium is one of the oldest towns in Lazio. Alatri is a jewel in Ciociaria lying on a hill covered with olive groves. It has great cultural value due to its archaeological and medieval remains and many folk events.
Alatri was founded in the 6th century BC. From the highest point there is a breathtaking view of the city and the valley. Alatri’s origins are linked to the Ernici, the ancient Italic people who built the Acropolis and the gigantic cyclopean orthogonal walls surrounding the town.
History and legend are mixed in the city of Alatri. While its birth is attributed to the God Saturn, it is also attributed to the Cyclopes for its Megalithic Walls up to 20 metres high, 3 km long and with 5 doors.
The monuments from the medieval period are very interesting, such as the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore and the monumental fountains in the old town. Don’t forget a visit to Palazzo Gottifredo, built in the mid-13th century at the behest of Cardinal Gottifredo di Raynaldo. Today, the palace tower houses the Civic Museum of Alatri.
The St Paul’s Basilica houses the relic of the Incarnate Host, dating back to a 1227 miracle recognised by the Church.
Grancia di Tecchiena foto www.alatriturismo.it
Do not miss the Protocenobio di San Sebastiano and the Grancia di Tecchiena. This large granary belonged to the Carthusian monks of Trisulti and is the finest example of 18th-century architecture in Alatri.
According to the legend of the Founding of Alatri, the city was built based on the path of the first ray of the sun on the day of the summer solstice. Every year on 21 June, the inhabitants climb the Acropolis to witness the first ray of the sun touch the eastern wall of the Acropolis.
Good Friday in Alatri – www.venerdisantoalatri.it
In the ancient town of Alatri, on Good Friday evening, a reenactment of Jesus’ last days has been held since 1835. It originates from medieval representations inspired by the Old and New Testament and staged by hundreds of participants. The event describes the world’s salvation in three crucial days, Palm Sunday, Good Thursday and Good Friday. The highlights of the re-enactment are the Crucifixion and the Miserere sung in the streets in the evenings preceding Good Friday.
The typical food is mainly based on cereals and vegetables. Local dishes include mazzacrocchi, made with beans, turnip broccoli soup, and boiled potato tartalicchi.