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Pontifical Fortress in Rocca di Papa: a fortress demolished, buried, and then rediscovered
The Pontifical Fortress of Rocca di Papa is an archaeological site sanding at an altitude of about 900 metres, in the heart of the Castelli Romani. From here you can see everything: the hills, the villages, the sea. This is what remains of a fortress built where an ancient Latin, and later Roman, sanctuary once stood. A layered place, with centuries of history piled one on top of the other.
From defensive fortress to quarry
The fortress was built at the end of the 12th century by Pope Eugene III, and for nearly four centuries it served as a defensive outpost. Then, in the mid-16th century, Pope Paul III Farnese ordered its demolition. From that point on it became a quarry, and anyone who needed building materials would come here to get them. Over time the remaining structures ended up underground, until recent excavations.
What you can see today
The archaeological site was inaugurated in May 2011. The excavations brought the fortress structures back to light, along with various artefacts belonging to the families that owned it — namely Annibaldi, Colonna, and Orsini.
