FROM POMEZIA TO CASTEL GANDOLFO
A visit not to be missed if you stay in Pomezia
January 2023
Castel Gandolfo is known as a papal summer residence but the beauty of the village makes it even more famous. Nestled in the heart of the Castelli Romani just a few minutes by car from Rome and Pomezia (25 minutes).
POMEZIA
Before arriving at Castel Gandolfo we recommend a visit to the Tor Maggiore complex located in the locality of Santa Palomba in the municipality of Pomezia . It is a castrum in the Roman countryside, built on the remains of a Roman complex near the ancient via Ardeatina and via Patricana. The site consists of a crenellated wall, a religious building and a tower, which with its 34 meters in height, is considered by sources to be among the highest but above all the most beautiful and important in the entire Roman countryside.
LAZIO ALBANO
Continuing through Castel Gandolfo you will come across Albano Laziale, according to tradition, the name of Albano derives from that of Alalonga , the mythical city founded by Ascanio, son of Aeneas, and narrated in Virgil's Aeneid.
To visit the Villa Comunale with stupendous Italian gardens of the former Villa Doria and in which the ruins of the Villa of Pompeo Magno are incorporated. Also worth a visit is the Tomba degli Orazi e Curiali , an imposing sepulcher in the shape of a parallelepiped surmounted by truncated cones; erected in the last days of the republic and dedicated, according to popular tradition, to the five heroes who died in the legendary duel.
GANDOLFO CASTLE
To reach Castel Gandolfo from Albano Laziale it takes only a few minutes, at the gates of the Borgo you will find a convenient parking and a wonderful belvedere overlooking part of the Castelli Romani and Rome.
In Castel Gandolfo , in addition to visiting the characteristic village overlooking Lake Albano , a visit to the Papal Palace which dates back to 1600 and was built by Pope Urban VIII is a must. Its current appearance was given to it in 1660 at the time of Pope Alexander VII. Inside, the Private Chapel is remarkable, which houses an image of Our Lady of the Shrine of Czestochowa . The building is an integral part of the over 55-hectare area that makes up the extra-territorial complex that is still owned by the Vatican City. Pope Francis decided to open the residence to the public in 2018.
The visit can continue with the Pontifical Villas made up of the following parts:
Pontifici Gardens or del Moro : they constitute the original historical nucleus of the Pontifical Villa, since they were organized at the time of the primitive residence of Pope Urban VIII on the back of the Papal Palace, on the site of the ancient villa of Cardinal Visconti.
Villa Cybo : built by Cardinal Camillo Cybo, it was annexed to the complex of the Pontifical Villas at the time of Pope Clement XIV who bought it in 1774 from the owner at the time, the Duke of Modena, for the sum of 80,000 scudi.
Villa Barberini : built by the nephew of Pope Urban VIII, Maffeo Barberini, it was incorporated into the extra-territorial complex of the Pontifical Villas only in 1929: it houses the castle headquarters of the summer college of Propaganda Fide. A large part of the existing remains of the villa of Domitian are located within its extensive Italian gardens and organized through antiquariums , of which a large cryptoporticus, the remains of the theater and some exedras have been preserved.
ALBANO OR CASTEL GANDOLFO LAKE
To complete the visit, we recommend a visit to Lake Albano, this small volcanic lake is part of the natural landscape of the village, so much so that many also call it Lake Castel Gandolfo .
Gioacchino Belli, a thoroughbred Roman, chose to explain Lake Albano to the common people
“Ah who doesn't see this part of the monno / doesn't even know why what it was born / they made a lake surrounded by it / all of peperino and tuna / tuna / concocted in a way that black fonno / we see the arivortato monno “
These are our suggestions for a visit to Castel Gandolfo on your own , if you want we can also show you sites where you can book visits , tour operators, guides and carriers who can extend and make your visit more pleasant.
As always we remain at your disposal and wish you a pleasant visit.
[FORM_REQUEST_INFORMATION]
Castel Gandolfo is known as a papal summer residence but the beauty of the village makes it even more famous. Nestled in the heart of the Castelli Romani just a few minutes by car from Rome and Pomezia (25 minutes).
POMEZIA
Before arriving at Castel Gandolfo we recommend a visit to the Tor Maggiore complex located in the locality of Santa Palomba in the municipality of Pomezia . It is a castrum in the Roman countryside, built on the remains of a Roman complex near the ancient via Ardeatina and via Patricana. The site consists of a crenellated wall, a religious building and a tower, which with its 34 meters in height, is considered by sources to be among the highest but above all the most beautiful and important in the entire Roman countryside.
LAZIO ALBANO
Continuing through Castel Gandolfo you will come across Albano Laziale, according to tradition, the name of Albano derives from that of Alalonga , the mythical city founded by Ascanio, son of Aeneas, and narrated in Virgil's Aeneid.
To visit the Villa Comunale with stupendous Italian gardens of the former Villa Doria and in which the ruins of the Villa of Pompeo Magno are incorporated. Also worth a visit is the Tomba degli Orazi e Curiali , an imposing sepulcher in the shape of a parallelepiped surmounted by truncated cones; erected in the last days of the republic and dedicated, according to popular tradition, to the five heroes who died in the legendary duel.
GANDOLFO CASTLE
To reach Castel Gandolfo from Albano Laziale it takes only a few minutes, at the gates of the Borgo you will find a convenient parking and a wonderful belvedere overlooking part of the Castelli Romani and Rome.
In Castel Gandolfo , in addition to visiting the characteristic village overlooking Lake Albano , a visit to the Papal Palace which dates back to 1600 and was built by Pope Urban VIII is a must. Its current appearance was given to it in 1660 at the time of Pope Alexander VII. Inside, the Private Chapel is remarkable, which houses an image of Our Lady of the Shrine of Czestochowa . The building is an integral part of the over 55-hectare area that makes up the extra-territorial complex that is still owned by the Vatican City. Pope Francis decided to open the residence to the public in 2018.
The visit can continue with the Pontifical Villas made up of the following parts:
Pontifici Gardens or del Moro : they constitute the original historical nucleus of the Pontifical Villa, since they were organized at the time of the primitive residence of Pope Urban VIII on the back of the Papal Palace, on the site of the ancient villa of Cardinal Visconti.
Villa Cybo : built by Cardinal Camillo Cybo, it was annexed to the complex of the Pontifical Villas at the time of Pope Clement XIV who bought it in 1774 from the owner at the time, the Duke of Modena, for the sum of 80,000 scudi.
Villa Barberini : built by the nephew of Pope Urban VIII, Maffeo Barberini, it was incorporated into the extra-territorial complex of the Pontifical Villas only in 1929: it houses the castle headquarters of the summer college of Propaganda Fide. A large part of the existing remains of the villa of Domitian are located within its extensive Italian gardens and organized through antiquariums , of which a large cryptoporticus, the remains of the theater and some exedras have been preserved.
ALBANO OR CASTEL GANDOLFO LAKE
To complete the visit, we recommend a visit to Lake Albano, this small volcanic lake is part of the natural landscape of the village, so much so that many also call it Lake Castel Gandolfo .
Gioacchino Belli, a thoroughbred Roman, chose to explain Lake Albano to the common people
“Ah who doesn't see this part of the monno / doesn't even know why what it was born / they made a lake surrounded by it / all of peperino and tuna / tuna / concocted in a way that black fonno / we see the arivortato monno “
These are our suggestions for a visit to Castel Gandolfo on your own , if you want we can also show you sites where you can book visits , tour operators, guides and carriers who can extend and make your visit more pleasant.
As always we remain at your disposal and wish you a pleasant visit.
[FORM_REQUEST_INFORMATION]