Ardea, Lazio

Ardea
—  Comune  —
Comune di Ardea
The church of St. Peter.
Coat of arms
Ardea Location of Ardea in Italy
Coordinates: 41°37′N 12°33′E
Country	Italy
Region	Lazio
Province	Rome
Frazioni	Banditella, Nuova Florida, Castagnetta, Castagnola, Centro Regina, Nuova California, Colle Romito, Lido dei Pini, Marina di Ardea, Rio Verde, Tor San Lorenzo, Tor San Lorenzo Lido, Montagnano.
Government
• Mayor	Carlo Eufemi
Area
• Total	50 km2 (20 sq mi)
Elevation	37 m (121 ft)
Population (February 26, 2007)
• Total	40,010
• Density	800/km2 (2,100/sq mi)
Demonym	Ardeatini
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	00040
Dialing code	06
Patron saint	St. Peter the Apostle
Saint day	June 29
Website	Official website

Ardea is an ancient town and comune in the province of Rome, 35 km south of Rome and about 4 km from today's Mediterranean coast.

The economy is mostly based on agriculture, although, starting from the 1970s, industry has had an increasingly important role.

City gate of Ardea

History

In Antiquity, Ardea was most often mentioned in connection with the Via Ardeatina, one of the consular roads, to which it gave its name. Columella owned a farm there.

Ardea was the capital of the Rutuli, mentioned in the Aeneid. The town was captured by Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, the Etruscan king of Rome. In 509 BC it is mentioned as a Roman ally. In 443 BC the Volscians laid siege to Ardea. The siege was soon broken by Roman troops under the leadership of Marcus Geganius Macerinus.

During the Second Punic War, it was one of the few cities that refused military support to Rome, and, after the Roman victory, was deprived of its autonomy. In the 3rd-2nd centuries BC it decayed until, in the Imperial Age, it was scarcely populated at all. The 1st century agricultural writer Columella possessed estates there.

A view of the ancient agger

It returned to growth only after the 9th century AD. Its castle in 1118 housed Pope Gelasius II and was later contended among various feudal barons of the area. In 1419 Pope Martin V assigned it to his kinsmen, the Colonna family, who sold it in 1564 to the Cesarini.

In 1816 it became a frazione of Genzano. Starting from 1932, the surrounding area was drained and Ardea began to flourish again, becoming a frazione of Pomezia starting from its foundation around 1948 and an independent municipality in 1970.

Main sights

Remains of the ancient city include the old defensive agger, dating to the 7th century BC and later (4th century BC) updated to larger walls. Archaeological excavations have brought to light four temples, of unknown dedication. Part of the pavement of a basilica (c. 100 BC) have also been found in the area of the ancient Forum. Other sights include:

• Church of Santa Marina, erected in 1191 by Cencio Savelli, the future Pope Honorius II. The interior, on a single nave, was originally entirely frescoed.
• Romanesque Church of San Pietro Apostolo (12th century), which was a possession of the monks of San Paolo Fuori le Mura of Rome. It incorporates a former watchtower used to counter Saracen attacks, now turned into a bell tower. It has 15th century frescoes and a 16th century wooden crucifix.
• The Giardini della Landriana, designed by Russell Page.
• Giacomo Manzù Museum, housing some 400 works of the artist.
• Tor San Lorenzo', a tower in the eponymous seaside frazione. It was rebuilt in 1570 after a design by Michelangelo,^{[citation needed]} in the area of a former Palaeo-Christian church devoted to St. Lawrence.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Italy

Twin towns — Sister cities

Ardea is twinned with:

• Argos, Greece
• Rielasingen-Worblingen, Germany

External links

• http://www.comune.ardea.rm.it/ (official site)

References

• Livy, Ab Urbe Condita 4.9