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Monumental complex of Sant'Oliva in Cori: 2,000 years of history in a single square
Cori, on the slopes of the Lepini Mountains, is home to the monumental complex of Sant'Oliva, occupying a panoramic square that seems straight out of the Middle Ages. Beneath the church lies the remains of a Roman temple from the 3rd–1st century BC. Above, there is a 15th-century chapel entirely covered in frescoes, a Renaissance cloister, and a convent. Two thousand years compressed into just a few square metres.
Layer upon layer
The complex is a perfect example of how Cori has grown up in layers. On the foundation of the Roman temple, in the first half of the 12th century, a church dedicated to St Oliva of Anagni was built. In the second half of the 15th century the Augustinians arrived, adding the convent with its cloister and the Chapel of the Holy Crucifix. Take a look at the façade before entering: arches and columns from different eras are set into the wall, side by side.
The centre of political life
In the Middle Ages, Sant'Oliva was the centre of the town's political life. Here the magistrates swore allegiance to the municipal statutes; here the Parliament of the heads of Cori's families would convene. The tradition lives on: on the penultimate Sunday of June, during the Carosello storico dei rioni (Historical Carousel of the Districts), the priors of the three gates repeat that oath in costume.
