This content was automatically translated. View the original text.
Marano Equo: the village in the Aniene Valley where Rome's water comes from
Marano Equo is one of the few towns in the Latium region that preserves the memory of the Aequi in its name—the warrior people who inhabited the Aniene Valley before the Roman conquest. Nestled on a hill between the Ruffi Mountains and the river, this village was home to the springs of the Aqua Marcia, the third most important aqueduct of Rome, built in 144 BC. Pliny the Elder called it "the clearest of all waters." Even today, these springs continue to supply the capital city’s water system.
A land of water
The Curzia, Cerulea and Albudina springs also sprang forth around the foot of the historic centre. Some were channelled during the Roman era into the Aqua Claudia (Claudian Aqueduct). To this day, one can still find numerous springs and water points along the river, under the shade of poplars and willows.
What not to miss
The Church of San Biagio (St Blaise, 1422) dominates the medieval village. About 1 km from the town, the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Quercia (Our Lady of the Oak) preserves 16th-century frescoes and a painting by Francesco Cozza. This work is linked to the traditional miracle of 1540, when blood reportedly dripped from an oak branch following an apparition of the Virgin Mary. Local events include the Feast of the Madonna della Neve (Our Lady of the Snows) and various summer festivals held in the village.
