Frascati
Encyclopedia
Frascati is a town and comune
in the province of Rome
in the Lazio region of central Italy
. It is located 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) south-east of Rome
, on the Alban Hills
close to the ancient city of Tusculum
. Frascati is closely associated with science, being the location of several international scientific laboratories.
Frascati is renowned for its white wine, Frascati
. It is also an important historical and artistic centre.
Frascati is the see
of the suburbicarian diocese
of Frascati
times, during the late Republican Age, is a patrician Roman villa probably belonging to Lucullus
. In the first century AD its owner was Gaius Sallustius Crispus Passienus
, who married Agrippina the Younger
, mother of Nero
. His properties were later confiscated by the Flavian imperial dynasty (69–96 AD). Consul Flavius Clemens lived in the villa with his wife Domitilla during the rule of Domitian
.
According to the Liber Pontificalis
, in the 9th century Frascati was a little village, probably founded two centuries earlier. The name of the city probably comes from a typical local tradition of collecting firewood ("frasche" in Italian)—many place-names around the town refer to trees or wood. After the destruction of nearby Tusculum
in 1191, the town's population increased and the bishopric moved from Tusculum to Frascati. Pope Innocent III
endorsed the city as a feudal possession of the basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, but in the following centuries its territories were ravaged by frequent raids that impoverished it. It was owned by various baronial families, including the Colonna
, until, in 1460, Pope Pius II
fortified the city with walls.
At the beginning of the sixteenth century, Pope Julius II
gave Frascati as a feudal possession to the condottiero Marcantonio I Colonna
, who lived there from 1508 together with his wife Lucrezia della Rovere (1485–1552), niece of Pope Julius II. In 1515 Colonna gave Frascati its first statute, Statuti e Capituli del Castello di Frascati, under the Latin title Populus antiquae civitas Tusculi.
In 1518 a Hospital was built, named after St. Sebastiano, in memory of the old basilica destroyed in the 9th century. After Prince Colonna's death in 1522, Lucrezia della Rovere sold Frascati to Pier Luigi Farnese, nephew of Pope Paul III.
On May 1, 1527 a Landsknecht
company, after having sacked Rome
, arrived out of the bordering villages. However, the soldiers changed the direction of their movement next to a niche, a "Rural Aedicule" consecrated to the Virgin Mary, and the town was therefore saved. This event is commemorated by a church now called Capocroce.
In 1538, Pope Paul III conferred the title of "Civitas" to Frascati, with the name "Tusculum Novum". In 1598 construction began on a new cathedral dedicated to St. Peter.
On September 15, 1616 the first public and free school in Europe was established on the initiative of Saint Joseph Calasanz.
On June 18, 1656 a part of the plaster peeled off a wall inside the Church of St. Mary in Vivario, and an ancient fresco became visible. It was the image of Saints Sebastian and Roch
, protector from the plague. In that same year there was an epidemic of plague
in Rome but Frascati was unaffected. Since that year, the two Saints have been co-patron Saints of the city. There are statues of the two saints in the façade of the Cathedral.
In 1757 the Valle theater opened in the centre of the town, and in 1761 the fortress changed to a princely palace under the patronage of Cardinal Henry Stuart
duke of York.
In 1809 Frascati was annexed to the French Empire
, and selected as the capital of the Roman canton.
In autumn 1837, there was a plague epidemic in Rome, and 5,000 people left Rome. Frascati was the only city that opened its doors to them. Since then Frascati's flag has been the same as Rome's, yellow and red. In 1840 the "Accademia Tuscolana" was founded in the city by Cardinal-Bishop Ludovico Micara
.
In 1856 the city was chosen as the terminus of the Rome–Frascati railway, the first railway to be built by the Papal State. The last section of the railway line was opened in 1884, 14 years after the city became part of the new Kingdom of Italy. On December 17, 1901, Frascati started to receive electricity from a hydroelectric plant in Tivoli
.
In 1906, an electric tram
line opened for service between Frascati, Rome
and Castelli Romani
. The trams traveled wholly along tracks laid down on existing streets as an interurban electric streetcar (light rail
). In 1954 the electric tram line was replaced by buses. Another electric tram service, the Rome and Fiuggi Rail Road
, called "Vicinali", was opened for service in 1916. It connected Frascati, Monte Porzio Catone, Monte Compatri and San Cesareo. This tram line was destroyed in 1943 and was replaced by buses.
In 1943, during World War II
, Frascati was heavily bombed
. Approximately 50% of its buildings, including many monuments, villas and houses, were destroyed. Many people died in that air strike and in a second air strike on January 22, 1944, the day of the battle of Anzio (Operation Shingle
). The city was liberated from the Nazi German occupation on June 4, 1944 by the 85th Infantry Division. In 1944–1945 the ruins of the buildings were used to fill in a valley, and that land now supports the "8 September Stadium".
s, which were built from the 16th century onwards by Popes, cardinals and Roman nobles as "status symbols" of Roman aristocracy. These country houses were designed for social activities rather than farming. The villas are substantially well preserved, or have been carefully and authentically restored following damage during World War II.
The main villas are:
, Germany
Saint-Cloud
, France
Kortrijk
, Belgium
Windsor and Maidenhead, United Kingdom
.
Each year young people from Frascati and the other four towns compete against one another in the Twin Towns Sports Competition, which is hosted in turn by each of the five towns. In the Torlonia Park in Frascati, there are roads named after each of the twin towns.
The OECD's Frascati Manual
, a methodology for research and development statistics, originated from a meeting at the Villa Falconieri
in June 1963.
Some operas mention Frascati, including La Frascatana (L'Enfante de Zamora), 1774, by Giovanni Paisiello
Frascati has drawn many famous people to live there for a time including:
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
in the province of Rome
Province of Rome
The Province of Rome , is a province in the Lazio region of Italy. The province can be viewed as the extended metropolitan area of the city of Rome, although in its more peripheral portions, especially to the north, it comprises towns surrounded by rural landscape.-Geography:The Province of Rome...
in the Lazio region of central Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is located 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) south-east of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, on the Alban Hills
Alban Hills
The Alban Hills are the site of a quiescent volcanic complex in Italy, located southeast of Rome and about north of Anzio.The dominant peak is Monte Cavo. There are two small calderas which contain lakes, Lago Albano and Lake Nemi...
close to the ancient city of Tusculum
Tusculum
Tusculum is a ruined Roman city in the Alban Hills, in the Latium region of Italy.-Location:Tusculum is one of the largest Roman cities in Alban Hills. The ruins of Tusculum are located on Tuscolo hill—more specifically on the northern edge of the outer crater ring of the Alban volcano...
. Frascati is closely associated with science, being the location of several international scientific laboratories.
Frascati is renowned for its white wine, Frascati
Frascati (wine)
Frascati is an Italian white wine from the region of Frascati. Frascati is made from Trebbiano, Greco and Malvasia grapes and has Denominazione di Origine Controllata status.-External links:* *...
. It is also an important historical and artistic centre.
Frascati is the see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of the suburbicarian diocese
Suburbicarian diocese
The seven suburbicarian dioceses are Roman Catholic dioceses located in the vicinity of Rome, whose bishops form the highest-ranking order of Cardinals, the Cardinal Bishops....
of Frascati
History
The most important archeological finding in the area, dating back to Ancient RomanAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
times, during the late Republican Age, is a patrician Roman villa probably belonging to Lucullus
Lucullus
Lucius Licinius Lucullus , was an optimate politician of the late Roman Republic, closely connected with Sulla Felix...
. In the first century AD its owner was Gaius Sallustius Crispus Passienus
Gaius Sallustius Crispus Passienus
Gaius Sallustius Passienus Crispus was a prominent figure in the Roman Empire during the 1st century. He was the adopted grandson and biological great, great nephew of the historian Sallust....
, who married Agrippina the Younger
Agrippina the Younger
Julia Agrippina, most commonly referred to as Agrippina Minor or Agrippina the Younger, and after 50 known as Julia Augusta Agrippina was a Roman Empress and one of the more prominent women in the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
, mother of Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
. His properties were later confiscated by the Flavian imperial dynasty (69–96 AD). Consul Flavius Clemens lived in the villa with his wife Domitilla during the rule of Domitian
Domitian
Domitian was Roman Emperor from 81 to 96. Domitian was the third and last emperor of the Flavian dynasty.Domitian's youth and early career were largely spent in the shadow of his brother Titus, who gained military renown during the First Jewish-Roman War...
.
According to the Liber Pontificalis
Liber Pontificalis
The Liber Pontificalis is a book of biographies of popes from Saint Peter until the 15th century. The original publication of the Liber Pontificalis stopped with Pope Adrian II or Pope Stephen V , but it was later supplemented in a different style until Pope Eugene IV and then Pope Pius II...
, in the 9th century Frascati was a little village, probably founded two centuries earlier. The name of the city probably comes from a typical local tradition of collecting firewood ("frasche" in Italian)—many place-names around the town refer to trees or wood. After the destruction of nearby Tusculum
Tusculum
Tusculum is a ruined Roman city in the Alban Hills, in the Latium region of Italy.-Location:Tusculum is one of the largest Roman cities in Alban Hills. The ruins of Tusculum are located on Tuscolo hill—more specifically on the northern edge of the outer crater ring of the Alban volcano...
in 1191, the town's population increased and the bishopric moved from Tusculum to Frascati. Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III was Pope from 8 January 1198 until his death. His birth name was Lotario dei Conti di Segni, sometimes anglicised to Lothar of Segni....
endorsed the city as a feudal possession of the basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, but in the following centuries its territories were ravaged by frequent raids that impoverished it. It was owned by various baronial families, including the Colonna
Colonna family
The Colonna family is an Italian noble family; it was powerful in medieval and Renaissance Rome, supplying one Pope and many other Church and political leaders...
, until, in 1460, Pope Pius II
Pope Pius II
Pope Pius II, born Enea Silvio Piccolomini was Pope from August 19, 1458 until his death in 1464. Pius II was born at Corsignano in the Sienese territory of a noble but decayed family...
fortified the city with walls.
At the beginning of the sixteenth century, Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II , nicknamed "The Fearsome Pope" and "The Warrior Pope" , born Giuliano della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513...
gave Frascati as a feudal possession to the condottiero Marcantonio I Colonna
Marcantonio I Colonna
Marcantonio I Colonna was an Italian condottiero from the Colonna family.He was the son of Pietro Antonio, prince of Salerno, and started his military career at the age of 24...
, who lived there from 1508 together with his wife Lucrezia della Rovere (1485–1552), niece of Pope Julius II. In 1515 Colonna gave Frascati its first statute, Statuti e Capituli del Castello di Frascati, under the Latin title Populus antiquae civitas Tusculi.
In 1518 a Hospital was built, named after St. Sebastiano, in memory of the old basilica destroyed in the 9th century. After Prince Colonna's death in 1522, Lucrezia della Rovere sold Frascati to Pier Luigi Farnese, nephew of Pope Paul III.
On May 1, 1527 a Landsknecht
Landsknecht
Landsknechte were European, predominantly German mercenary pikemen and supporting foot soldiers from the late 15th to the late 16th century, and achieved the reputation for being the universal mercenary of Early modern Europe.-Etymology:The term is from German, Land "land, country" + Knecht...
company, after having sacked Rome
Sack of Rome (1527)
The Sack of Rome on 6 May 1527 was a military event carried out by the mutinous troops of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor in Rome, then part of the Papal States...
, arrived out of the bordering villages. However, the soldiers changed the direction of their movement next to a niche, a "Rural Aedicule" consecrated to the Virgin Mary, and the town was therefore saved. This event is commemorated by a church now called Capocroce.
In 1538, Pope Paul III conferred the title of "Civitas" to Frascati, with the name "Tusculum Novum". In 1598 construction began on a new cathedral dedicated to St. Peter.
On September 15, 1616 the first public and free school in Europe was established on the initiative of Saint Joseph Calasanz.
On June 18, 1656 a part of the plaster peeled off a wall inside the Church of St. Mary in Vivario, and an ancient fresco became visible. It was the image of Saints Sebastian and Roch
Roch
Saint Roch or Rocco ; lived c.1348 - 15/16 August 1376/79 was a Christian saint, a confessor whose death is commemorated on 16 August; he is specially invoked against the plague...
, protector from the plague. In that same year there was an epidemic of plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
in Rome but Frascati was unaffected. Since that year, the two Saints have been co-patron Saints of the city. There are statues of the two saints in the façade of the Cathedral.
In 1757 the Valle theater opened in the centre of the town, and in 1761 the fortress changed to a princely palace under the patronage of Cardinal Henry Stuart
Henry Benedict Stuart
Henry Benedict Stuart was a Roman Catholic Cardinal, as well as the fourth and final Jacobite heir to publicly claim the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Unlike his father, James Francis Edward Stuart, and brother, Charles Edward Stuart, Henry made no effort to seize the throne...
duke of York.
In 1809 Frascati was annexed to the French Empire
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, and selected as the capital of the Roman canton.
In autumn 1837, there was a plague epidemic in Rome, and 5,000 people left Rome. Frascati was the only city that opened its doors to them. Since then Frascati's flag has been the same as Rome's, yellow and red. In 1840 the "Accademia Tuscolana" was founded in the city by Cardinal-Bishop Ludovico Micara
Ludovico Micara
Ludovico Micara was an Italian Capuchin and Cardinal. He was born at Frascati. Ordained in 1798, he became Dean of the College of Cardinals....
.
In 1856 the city was chosen as the terminus of the Rome–Frascati railway, the first railway to be built by the Papal State. The last section of the railway line was opened in 1884, 14 years after the city became part of the new Kingdom of Italy. On December 17, 1901, Frascati started to receive electricity from a hydroelectric plant in Tivoli
Tivoli, Italy
Tivoli , the classical Tibur, is an ancient Italian town in Lazio, about 30 km east-north-east of Rome, at the falls of the Aniene river where it issues from the Sabine hills...
.
In 1906, an electric tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
line opened for service between Frascati, Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and Castelli Romani
Castelli Romani
The Castelli Romani is a group of communes in the province of Rome, Italy. They are located at short distance south-east to Rome, at the feet of the Alban Hills.-Overview:...
. The trams traveled wholly along tracks laid down on existing streets as an interurban electric streetcar (light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
). In 1954 the electric tram line was replaced by buses. Another electric tram service, the Rome and Fiuggi Rail Road
Rome and Fiuggi Rail Road
The Rome-Fiuggi railway is a former railway built on the east part of Rome, Italy. It consisted of a long narrow gauge line from Rome to Fiuggi.-History:...
, called "Vicinali", was opened for service in 1916. It connected Frascati, Monte Porzio Catone, Monte Compatri and San Cesareo. This tram line was destroyed in 1943 and was replaced by buses.
In 1943, during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Frascati was heavily bombed
Frascati bombing raid September 8, 1943
September 8, 1943 is the date of a bombing raid of USAAF planes against Frascati, a historical town near Rome, Italy. The target was the German General Headquarters for the Mediterranean zone and the Italian headquarters, scattered in buildings and Villas nearby the town.131 USAAF aircraft ...
. Approximately 50% of its buildings, including many monuments, villas and houses, were destroyed. Many people died in that air strike and in a second air strike on January 22, 1944, the day of the battle of Anzio (Operation Shingle
Operation Shingle
Operation Shingle , during the Italian Campaign of World War II, was an Allied amphibious landing against Axis forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno, Italy. The operation was commanded by Major General John P. Lucas and was intended to outflank German forces of the Winter Line and enable an...
). The city was liberated from the Nazi German occupation on June 4, 1944 by the 85th Infantry Division. In 1944–1945 the ruins of the buildings were used to fill in a valley, and that land now supports the "8 September Stadium".
Villas
Frascati is famous for its notable villaVilla
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
s, which were built from the 16th century onwards by Popes, cardinals and Roman nobles as "status symbols" of Roman aristocracy. These country houses were designed for social activities rather than farming. The villas are substantially well preserved, or have been carefully and authentically restored following damage during World War II.
- Villa AldobrandiniVilla AldobrandiniThe Villa Aldobrandini is a villa in Frascati, Italy, property of the Aldobrandini family. Also known as Belvedere for its charming location overlooking the whole valley up to Rome, it was rebuilt on the order of Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini, Pope Clement VIII's nephew over a pre-existing edifice...
- Villa ParisiVilla ParisiVilla Parisi - Borghese is a villa in Frascati, now in Monte Porzio Catone municipal territory, Italy. It was built between 1604 and 1605 by Mons. Fernando Taverna. In 1615 it was acquired by Cardinal Scipione Borghese. Later a nymphaeum and the stately portal were built together villa's extension...
- Villa FalconieriVilla FalconieriThe Villa Falconieri is a villa in Frascati, Italy.-History:The villa was originally called Villa Rufina, having been was initially built by Monsignor Alessandro Rufini. Later it was enlarged thanks to Pope Paul III, dates back to 1546. In 1628 Orazio Falconieri purchased the villa and commissioned...
- Villa GrazioliVilla GrazioliVilla Grazioli is a villa in Frascati, Italy, now in Grottaferrata communal territory.It was built at the end of the 16th century by Cardinal Carafa, projected by architect Domenico Fontana. The villa was enlarged by the new property, the family Acquaviva of Aragon, of the House of Atri.In 1843 the...
- Villa LancellottiVilla LancellottiVilla Lancellotti is a villa in Frascati, Italy, the nearest to the town centre. This villa was constructed in 1582 by Cardinal Bonanni. It was sold in 1617 to the banker Roberto Primo who constructed the 'teatro d'acqua' at the far end of the garden. The theatre is a direct copy of that at the...
- Villa MutiVilla MutiVilla Muti is a rather plain appearing villa in Frascati, Italy, now in the communal territory of Grottaferrata.-History:Initial construction on the site was started in 1579 by Ludovico Cerasoli...
- Villa RufinellaVilla RufinellaVilla Rufinella, also called Villa Tuscolana, is a villa in Frascati, Italy.Villa Rufinella is situated highest of the villas on the hill above the town of Frascati. It was built by Alessandro Ruffini, bishop of Melfi, in 1578, but during its history, the proprietors have made changes in different...
(or Tuscolana) - Villa SoraVilla SoraVilla Sora is a villa in Frascati, Italy. This villa was built at the end of 16th century by Giacomo Boncompagni, duke of Sora, natural son of Pope Gregory XIII. In the central hall there are painted fresco decorations of Cavalier D'Arpino...
- Villa TorloniaVilla Torlonia (Frascati)The Villa Torlonia in Frascati is a villa belonging to the Torlonia family in Frascati, Italy.The land on which the villa was built originally belonged to the Abbey of Grottaferrata, which donated it in 1563 to Annibal Caro, who commissioned a small villa where he spent the last years of his life,...
- Villa VecchiaVilla VecchiaVilla Vecchia is a patrician villa near Frascati, Italy, in the territory of the commune of Monte Porzio Catone. In the villa's garden there is a long stretch of a well kept Roman road....
- Villa MondragoneVilla MondragoneVilla Mondragone is a patrician villa originally in the territory of the Italian commune of Frascati , now in the territory of Monte Porzio Catone...
- Villa SciarraVilla SciarraThe Villa Sciarra is a villa in Frascati, Italy.Also called Villa Bel Poggio, the Villa Sciarra was built in 1570 at the orders of Ottaviano Vestri.The portal gate of the gardens is to ascribe to Nicola Salvi...
Religious sites
- The Cathedral (Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter Apostle) was designed by Ottaviano NonniOttaviano NonniOttaviano Nonni , called Il Mascherino, was an Italian architect, sculptor, and painter born in Bologna. Apprentice of Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola, he was active in Emilia and in Rome, where he had been living in the rione of Borgo, in the road still bearing his name .He was the architect of the...
, known as "Mascherino", and the original structure was completed in 1598. A new high façade was added between 1698-1700 by Gerolamo Fontana. The cathedral was demolished by bombing in 1943, and the reconstructed interior appears bare. On the inner side of the façade is the tombstone of Charles Edward StuartCharles Edward StuartPrince Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or The Young Pretender was the second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of Great Britain , and Ireland...
. - The Church of the Gesu (Frascati)Church of the Gesu (Frascati)Church of the Gesu is a Roman Catholic church in Frascati, in the province of Rome, in Italy.The church was originally built in 1520. In 1554 the city began the construction of the present church, but did not complete it. In 1560 the Jesuits took possession of the site and completed it by 1597,...
, designed by the Jesuit architect Giovanni De Rosis, was built at the end of the 16th century, and it has niches on the façade with statues attributed to Pietro da CortonaPietro da CortonaPietro da Cortona, by the name of Pietro Berrettini, born Pietro Berrettini da Cortona, was the leading Italian Baroque painter of his time and also one of the key architects in the emergence of Roman Baroque architecture. He was also an important decorator...
. The most significant feature of the interior is the trompe l'oiel false dome and other architectural features. These were created by Andrea PozzoAndrea PozzoAndrea Pozzo was an Italian Jesuit Brother, Baroque painter and architect, decorator, stage designer, and art theoretician. He was best known for his grandiose frescoes using illusionistic technique called quadratura, in which architecture and fancy are intermixed...
and are copied from models developed for the church of Sant'IgnazioSant'IgnazioThe Church of Saint Ignatius of Loyola at Campus Martius is Roman Catholic titular church dedicated to Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order, located in Rome, Italy...
in Rome. In 1773 Cardinal Henry Benedict StuartHenry Benedict StuartHenry Benedict Stuart was a Roman Catholic Cardinal, as well as the fourth and final Jacobite heir to publicly claim the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Unlike his father, James Francis Edward Stuart, and brother, Charles Edward Stuart, Henry made no effort to seize the throne...
, Duke of York, reconsecrated the church to the Holy Name of Jesus and to St. Gregory the Great. - The Bishop's Palace, the old "Rocca" ("Castle"), is a massive construction with two square towers and one rounded one. The Bishop of Frascati resides here. The Palace is flanked by the former cathedral, the church of Santa Maria in Vivario, with a campanileCampanileCampanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
(1305) featuring three orders of three-mullioned windows.
Museums
- The civic archaeological museum at the Scuderie Aldobrandini ("Aldobrandini Stables") exhibits archaeological finds from the ancient city of TusculumTusculumTusculum is a ruined Roman city in the Alban Hills, in the Latium region of Italy.-Location:Tusculum is one of the largest Roman cities in Alban Hills. The ruins of Tusculum are located on Tuscolo hill—more specifically on the northern edge of the outer crater ring of the Alban volcano...
and the nearby area. It has scale models of the Tuscolane Villas. - The Ethiopian Museum of Cardinal Guglielmo MassaiaGuglielmo MassaiaGuglielmo Massaia was an Italian Catholic missionary, Capuchin and Cardinal. His baptismal name was Lorenzo; he took Guglielmo as religious name.-Life:...
(1809–1889), a missionary who was buried here, in the CapuchinOrder of Friars Minor CapuchinThe Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
friary, whose church is dedicated to St. Francis of AssisiFrancis of AssisiSaint Francis of Assisi was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. He founded the men's Franciscan Order, the women’s Order of St. Clare, and the lay Third Order of Saint Francis. St...
, houses works by Giulio RomanoGiulio RomanoGiulio Romano was an Italian painter and architect. A pupil of Raphael, his stylistic deviations from high Renaissance classicism help define the 16th-century style known as Mannerism...
and Cristoforo RoncalliCristoforo RoncalliCristoforo Roncalli was an Italian mannerist painter. He was one of the three painters known as il Pomarancio.Roncalli was born in Pomarance, a town near Volterra...
. It can be visited on request.
Twin towns
Bad GodesbergBad Godesberg
Bad Godesberg is a municipal district of Bonn, southern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. From 1949 till 1990 , the majority of foreign embassies to Germany were located in Bad Godesberg...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Saint-Cloud
Saint-Cloud
Saint-Cloud is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.Like other communes of the Hauts-de-Seine such as Marnes-la-Coquette, Neuilly-sur-Seine or Vaucresson, Saint-Cloud is one of the wealthiest cities in France, ranked 22nd out of the 36500 in...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Kortrijk
Kortrijk
Kortrijk ; , ; ) is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province West Flanders...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
Windsor and Maidenhead, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Each year young people from Frascati and the other four towns compete against one another in the Twin Towns Sports Competition, which is hosted in turn by each of the five towns. In the Torlonia Park in Frascati, there are roads named after each of the twin towns.
The science town
During the latter half of the 1950s, the first Italian accelerator was developed in Frascati by INFN, and the INFN still has its high energy physics laboratory in the town. Frascati now also hosts the following laboratories:- Earth Observation missions of the European Space AgencyEuropean Space AgencyThe European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
are based in ESRIN in Frascati. - Research facilities of ENEAENEA (Italy)The L'Agenzia nazionale per le nuove tecnologie, l'energia e lo sviluppo economico sostenibile is an Italian Government sponsored research and development agency...
are on the INFN site. - The Spaceguard FoundationThe Spaceguard FoundationThe Spaceguard Foundation is a private organization based in Frascati, Italy, whose purpose is to study, discover and observe near-Earth objects and protect the Earth from the possible threat of their collision...
is based here. - The Frascati Tokamak UpgradeFrascati Tokamak UpgradeThe Frascati Tokamak Upgrade is a tokamak operating at Frascati, Italy. Building on the Frascati Tokamak experiment, FTU is a compact, high-magnetic-field tokamak...
is based here.
The OECD's Frascati Manual
Frascati Manual
The Frascati Manual is a document setting forth the methodology for collecting statistics about research and development. The Manual was prepared and published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development....
, a methodology for research and development statistics, originated from a meeting at the Villa Falconieri
Villa Falconieri
The Villa Falconieri is a villa in Frascati, Italy.-History:The villa was originally called Villa Rufina, having been was initially built by Monsignor Alessandro Rufini. Later it was enlarged thanks to Pope Paul III, dates back to 1546. In 1628 Orazio Falconieri purchased the villa and commissioned...
in June 1963.
Literature and music
Novels and books partly or wholly set in Frascati include:- Barbara's History (1864) by Amelia EdwardsAmelia EdwardsAmelia Ann Blanford Edwards was an English novelist, journalist, traveller and Egyptologist.Born in London to an Irish mother and a father who had been a British Army officer before becoming a banker, Edwards was educated at home by her mother, showing considerable promise as a writer at a young age...
- L'improvvisatore (1835) by Hans Christian AndersenHans Christian AndersenHans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
- La Daniella (1857) by George SandGeorge SandAmantine Lucile Aurore Dupin, later Baroness Dudevant , best known by her pseudonym George Sand , was a French novelist and memoirist.-Life:...
- Villa Falconieri (1896) by Richard Voss
- Lays of Ancient Rome (1881) by Thomas Babington Macaulay
- Childe Harold Lord Byron
- Days near Rome Augustus HareAugustus HareAugustus John Cuthbert Hare was an English writer and raconteur.He was the youngest son of Francis George Hare of Herstmonceux, East Sussex, and Gresford, Flintshire, Wales, and nephew of Augustus William Hare and Julius Hare...
- Chroniques italiennes (1836–1839) by StendhalStendhalMarie-Henri Beyle , better known by his pen name Stendhal, was a 19th-century French writer. Known for his acute analysis of his characters' psychology, he is considered one of the earliest and foremost practitioners of realism in his two novels Le Rouge et le Noir and La Chartreuse de Parme...
- Roba di Roma (1863) by William Wetmore StoryWilliam Wetmore StoryWilliam Wetmore Story was an American sculptor, art critic, poet and editor.-Biography:William Wetmore Story was the son of jurist Joseph Story and Sarah Waldo Story...
- The Alban Hills and Frascati (1878) by Clara Louisa WellsClara Louisa WellsClara Louisa Wells was an American writer and inventor who lived between 1848/1850 and 1923/1925. She was born in New England, studied in Boston and took a degree in science. She had very good knowledge of Latin, Greek, Italian and French....
Some operas mention Frascati, including La Frascatana (L'Enfante de Zamora), 1774, by Giovanni Paisiello
Giovanni Paisiello
Giovanni Paisiello was an Italian composer of the Classical era.-Life:Paisiello was born at Taranto and educated by the Jesuits there. He became known for his beautiful singing voice and in 1754 was sent to the Conservatorio di S. Onofrio at Naples, where he studied under Francesco Durante, and...
Famous citizens and residents
Frascati was the birthplace of:- Marco AmeliaMarco AmeliaMarco Amelia, Ufficiale OMRI is an Italian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Serie A club Milan. He was part of the Italian squad that won the 2006 FIFA World Cup.-Early career:Amelia grew up as part of the Roma youth system...
(1982-) Italian footballer - Tino BuazzelliTino BuazzelliTino Buazzelli was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 46 films between 1948 and 1978.-Selected filmography:* Totò Tarzan * Against the Law * Ghosts of Rome...
(1922–1980) actor - Pietro Campilli (1891–1974) politician: deputy of Parliament and Minister
- Hermann David Salomon CorrodiHermann David Salomon CorrodiHermann David Salomon Corrodi was an Italian painter of the 19th Century.Corrodi was born in Frascati and lived for many years in Rome." Corrodi studied at the Accademia di S. Luca under his father, Salomon Corrodi and in Paris...
(1844–1905) orientalist painter - Arnaldo Mecozzi (1876–1932) painter
- Clemente MicaraClemente MicaraClemente Micara was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Vicar General of Rome from 1951 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1946.-Biography:...
(1879–1965) Cardinal Bishop - Ludovico MicaraLudovico MicaraLudovico Micara was an Italian Capuchin and Cardinal. He was born at Frascati. Ordained in 1798, he became Dean of the College of Cardinals....
(1775–1847) Cardinal Bishop - Maffeo PantaleoniMaffeo PantaleoniMaffeo Pantaleoni was an Italian economist, and a notable proponent of neoclassical economics. He was occasionally referred to as "the Marshall of Italy", because of his unrelenting defence of laissez-faire economic policies....
(1857–1924) economist and politician - Ilaria SalvatoriIlaria SalvatoriIlaria Salvatori is an Italian foil fencer.She won a bronze medal in the foil team event at the 2008 Summer Olympics.- References :...
(1979 - ) Italian foil fencer who won a Bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics2008 Summer OlympicsThe 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
. - Mario TitiMario TitiMario Titi is a painter of the Roman and Castelli Romani artistic scene of the 20th century; his works are shown in churches and museums of the Lazio, and all over the world. The artist frequented from a young age the academy of Belle Arti of Rome, sticking to the futurist movement. He was a...
(1921–1982) landscape painter
Frascati has drawn many famous people to live there for a time including:
- Italo Alighiero ChiusanoItalo Alighiero ChiusanoItalo Alighiero Chiusano was an Italian independent writer, literary critic, Germanist, literary historian, essayist, author of dramas, and journalist.Chiusano authored several television screenplays.-Biography and works:...
(1926–1995) poet and writer. - Princess Pauline BonapartePauline BonapartePauline Bonaparte was the first sovereign Duchess of Guastalla, an imperial French Princess and the Princess consort of Sulmona and Rossano. She was the sixth child of Letizia Ramolino and Carlo Buonaparte, Corsica's representative to the court of King Louis XVI of France. Her elder brother,...
, favourite sister of Napoleon I of FranceNapoleon I of FranceNapoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
and wife of Prince Camillo BorgheseCamillo Filippo Ludovico BorgheseDon Camillo Filippo Ludovico Borghese, Prince of Sulmona and of Rossano, Duke and Prince of Guastalla was a member of the Borghese family, best known for being brother-in-law to Napoleon.- Biography :...
, lived in Villa ParisiVilla ParisiVilla Parisi - Borghese is a villa in Frascati, now in Monte Porzio Catone municipal territory, Italy. It was built between 1604 and 1605 by Mons. Fernando Taverna. In 1615 it was acquired by Cardinal Scipione Borghese. Later a nymphaeum and the stately portal were built together villa's extension...
from 1806 to 1811. At the same time her mother and brother, Lucien BonaparteLucien BonaparteLucien Bonaparte, Prince Français, 1st Prince of Canino and Musignano , born Luciano Buonaparte, was the third surviving son of Carlo Buonaparte and his wife Letizia Ramolino....
, lived in Villa RufinellaVilla RufinellaVilla Rufinella, also called Villa Tuscolana, is a villa in Frascati, Italy.Villa Rufinella is situated highest of the villas on the hill above the town of Frascati. It was built by Alessandro Ruffini, bishop of Melfi, in 1578, but during its history, the proprietors have made changes in different...
from 1804 to 1820. - GoetheJohann Wolfgang von GoetheJohann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer, pictorial artist, biologist, theoretical physicist, and polymath. He is considered the supreme genius of modern German literature. His works span the fields of poetry, drama, prose, philosophy, and science. His Faust has been called the greatest long...
visited the Tuscolo country between 1786 to 1788, staying in Frascati. He recounted his impressions in his journal, (Italian JourneyItalian JourneyItalian Journey is Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's report on his travels to Italy from 1786–7, published in 1816–7. The book is based on Goethe's diaries...
). An important street in the centre of Frascati was named after Goethe. - Taddeo Kuntze (1730–1793), Polish painter.
- Andrea PozzoAndrea PozzoAndrea Pozzo was an Italian Jesuit Brother, Baroque painter and architect, decorator, stage designer, and art theoretician. He was best known for his grandiose frescoes using illusionistic technique called quadratura, in which architecture and fancy are intermixed...
painter and architect, painted the false dome in the fresco of the Chiesa della Gesù (Church of Jesus), a masterpiece of optical illusion. - The French writer George SandGeorge SandAmantine Lucile Aurore Dupin, later Baroness Dudevant , best known by her pseudonym George Sand , was a French novelist and memoirist.-Life:...
spent part of her Italian journey in Frascati from March 31 to April 19, 1855, in Villa Lancellotti. - Henry Benedict StuartHenry Benedict StuartHenry Benedict Stuart was a Roman Catholic Cardinal, as well as the fourth and final Jacobite heir to publicly claim the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Unlike his father, James Francis Edward Stuart, and brother, Charles Edward Stuart, Henry made no effort to seize the throne...
, the younger brother of Charles Edward StuartCharles Edward StuartPrince Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or The Young Pretender was the second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of Great Britain , and Ireland...
("Bonnie Prince Charlie", who tried unsuccessfully to reconquer the English throne in 1745), became Cardinal Bishop of Frascati in 1761. He became Dean of the College of CardinalsDean of the College of CardinalsThe Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals is the president of the College of Cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church, and as such always holds the rank of Cardinal Bishop. The Dean is not necessarily the longest-serving member of the whole College...
in 1803, but continued to live in the episcopal palace of Frascati until his death on 13 July 1807. He improved the town cultural life by founding the Seminary and library. On the inner side of the Cathedral façade he built the sepulchral stone of his brother. - The German writer Richard Voss spent 25 years of his life in the city, writing many of his novels and plays there. He received honorary citizenship of Frascati.
- Clara Louisa WellsClara Louisa WellsClara Louisa Wells was an American writer and inventor who lived between 1848/1850 and 1923/1925. She was born in New England, studied in Boston and took a degree in science. She had very good knowledge of Latin, Greek, Italian and French....
, English writer. - King Charles Emmanuel IV of SardiniaCharles Emmanuel IV of SardiniaCharles Emmanuel IV was King of Sardinia from 1796 to 1802. He abdicated in favour of his brother Victor Emmanuel I...
(1751–1819) lived in Villa LancellottiVilla LancellottiVilla Lancellotti is a villa in Frascati, Italy, the nearest to the town centre. This villa was constructed in 1582 by Cardinal Bonanni. It was sold in 1617 to the banker Roberto Primo who constructed the 'teatro d'acqua' at the far end of the garden. The theatre is a direct copy of that at the...
from 1802. - Queen Maria Cristina of Bourbon, wife of Charles Felix of SardiniaCharles Felix of SardiniaCharles Felix was the Duke of Savoy, Piedmont, Aosta and King of Sardinia from 1821 to 1831.-Early life:...
, lived in Villa RufinellaVilla RufinellaVilla Rufinella, also called Villa Tuscolana, is a villa in Frascati, Italy.Villa Rufinella is situated highest of the villas on the hill above the town of Frascati. It was built by Alessandro Ruffini, bishop of Melfi, in 1578, but during its history, the proprietors have made changes in different...
from 1821. - Emma MarroneEmma Marrone-Early life:Born in Florence, Marrone has always lived in Aradeo in the province of Lecce. She acquired her passion for music from her father Rosario, guitarist of a band from Aradeo called "Karadreon" which formed when Marrone was quite young , performing in festivals and in clubs...
, Italian singer, lives in Frascati.
External links
- Official website
- Frascati
- Frascati - Story, monuments and info about Frascati and his Villas
- Tusculan Museum - Aldobrandini Stables
- The town of Frascati near Rome