This content was automatically translated. View the original text.
Agosta, the village in the Aniene valley: a castle, a legend, and a food festival
Agosta is a small town of about 2,000 inhabitants in the Aniene valley, nestled among the Simbruini, Ernici, Ruffini, and Affilani mountains. Located 57 km from Rome, this Lazio village grew up around a medieval castle dating back to 1051, with a curious legend attached to it: a princess named Augusta was supposedly imprisoned in the fortress tower. Hence the town's name.
The gates, the square, and the arch
The castle can be reached through three entrances — Porta della Chiesa, Porta Santa Maria, and Porta del Cancillittu. A War Memorialstands in Piazza San Nicola, named after a church that no longer exists. Near the ancient bridge over the Aniene river is the Arco del Cardinale, or Arch of the Gate, erected in 1503 in honour of Cardinal Giovanni Colonna.
The sanctuary and the processions
The Sanctuary of Madonna del Passo (Our Lady of the Pass), along the Via Sublacense, originated from a discovery in 1616: a fresco depicting the Virgin Mary, which changed the original dedication from the previous Madonna degli Angeli (Our Lady of the Angels). On September 7 and 8 each year, the statue of the Madonna del Passo is carried in procession. On the last Sunday of October, another procession brings it back to the Parish Church of Madonna della Pace e San Benedetto (Our Lady of Peace and St Benedict), a single-nave church built in 1930.
Fried frogs, Regina beans, and local craftsmanship
On the second Sunday of August, the town festival serves fried frogs and Regina beans, traditional dishes of Agosta. Local crafts include the typical small wicker baskets.
