Cori is a hillside village nestled in the Lepini mountains at an altitude of 400 metres. The small historic centre can be visited on foot, so rich in history, monuments, churches and delicious food and wine. Starting from Piazza Signina, in the heart of the town, head towards Via Tempio di Ercole and from there to Piazza Monte Pio to admire the panorama over the Pianura Pontina to the coastline.
The temple of Hercules in Cori
Dating back to 89 – 80 BC, the Temple of Hercules is a perfect example of a Doric style reinterpreted in an Italic key. Its ruins are located in the ancient acropolis of Cori, with the columns almost intact. It has been a National Monument since 1898, with the pronaos and the entrance wall of the cella clearly visible.
Temple of Hercules in Cori – photo www.scoprirecori.it
In the past, it was a monument made of travertine and covered with coloured stucco, which was accessed by a staircase that has been lost. The columns are 7 metres high. On the lintel of the gate is an inscription with the names of Marcus Maglius and Lucius Turpilius, the magistrates who ordered its construction.
Take a walk along the imposing Polygonal Walls from the 6th and 4th centuries B.C., a route of about 2 km dotted with towers and bastions interrupted by the opening of the three city doors, Romana, Ninfina and Signina.
Cori – The Santa Oliva complex
Among the many historical and religious buildings to visit are the churches of Santa Maria della Pietà, built on the temple of the goddess Fortuna, and Sant’Oliva, with its monumental complex housing the Museo della Città e del Territorio.
Cori – Chapel of the Annunziata
Also not to be missed are the Chapel of the Annunziata with its splendid frescoes, and the churches of St Francis, with its adjoining convent, and Sts Peter and Paul, as well as the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Soccorso.
Historical Carousel of the Cori Districts
At the end of June, the Carosello Storico dei Rioni di Cori (Historic Carousel of the Districts of Cori) returns to invade the village with a parade in Renaissance costumes, historical games, and the Palio. There are three not-to-be-missed events: the Giuramento dei Priori and the Palio della Madonna del Soccorso at the end of June, and the third and last at the end of July with the Palio di Sant’Oliva. The three moments of the historical commemoration of the first half of the 1500s are in honour of Our Lady of Succour, who appeared in Cori in 1521, and of Sant’Oliva, the patron saint of Cori since the 12th century.
Latium World Folkloric Festival in Cori
The Latium World Folkloric Festival – Musics, Dances and Folk Arts of the World is an extraordinary event between the end of July and the first week of August, for a culture of Peace, Solidarity and Tolerance. The festival is itinerant for 13 days in Lazio and features traditional music and dance, folk music, multi-ethnic festivals and the tasting of ethnic gastronomic dishes. The event grew out of the important experience of the old ‘Festival della Collina di Cori’, which promoted folk culture from around the world, traditions, and the image of Lazio.
Delight your palate with the typical prosciutto cooked in white wine, prepared according to a secret recipe and accompanied by Cori bread baked in a wood-fired oven and water olives.