Filettino
Welcome to Filettino: a Municipality on the Mountain Tops
If you're a lover of heights and unspoiled nature, Filettino is the place for you. This enchanting municipality located in the province of Frosinone in Lazio, has only 518 inhabitants and is located at an impressive 1,063 meters above sea level, making it the highest municipality in Lazio.
Filettino: its geographical location
Filettino is in an enviable position as it is located at the intersection of the Simbruini and Cantari mountain ranges, while to the south are the Ernici Mountains. Additionally, it is part of the regional natural park of the Apennines - Monti Simbruini. Along the road towards Trevi nel Lazio, the border of Filettino, you can find the birthplace of the Aniene River. However, if you continue towards Passo Serra Sant'Antonio, 1602 meters up the mountain, you will arrive at the neighboring municipality of Capistrello in L'Aquila. Along the same road, you will also find the mountain area of Campo Staffi, a renowned winter and summer tourist destination equipped with ski lifts and ski slopes.
The climate of Filettino
The climate of Filettino is typical of the low and medium mountain areas of the central Apennines. In winter, temperatures drop significantly and snow often appears at low altitudes with cold waves and disturbances from the west. Rainfall is quite high, thanks to direct exposure to western humid currents. Autumn is the rainiest season followed by spring and winter. Instead, summer is the dry season interrupted by possible thunderstorms.
The origin of the name and the history of Filettino
The current name of the city of Filettino comes from the Latin word "filictum," a collective derivative of "filex" which means fern. Another possible origin of the name would derive from the ancient Byzantine term "ϕυλακτήριον," with which the Byzantines defined fortified positions placed to control strategic positions, which is often rendered with the toponym "Filetto" as well as Filattiera, in Lunigiana.
The city has a history dating back to antiquity. Before the Roman conquest, the area where Filettino is now located belonged to the Equi. During the Second Punic War, the city was loyal to Roman civilization. The first document that reports the name of Filettino dates back to the eleventh century, when Pope Niccolò II suppressed the diocese of Trevi nel Lazio and merged its territory into the diocese of Anagni. Buildings were erected on Cotardo where defense was easier. The urban nucleus developed in a row, adapting to the topography. It is likely that the toponym derives precisely from the characteristic arrangement of the houses in a row.
From 1257, the papal family Conti held control of Filettino. In 1299, the village passed under the Caetani. In 1438, Bernardino da Siena stayed in the city, and according to legend, San Bernardino himself protected the population from the siege of brigands through a miraculous rain of iron acorns. Nowadays, precisely because of this episode, San Bernardino is the patron saint of Filettino.
In 1602, the death sentence of Prospero Caetani by Clement VIII made Filettino a "immediate subiecta" community, that is directly dependent on the Apostolic Chamber, which administered the property of the papal state.
Conclusions
As you have seen, Filettino has a history dating back to antiquity and is located in a very suggestive geographical position. If you like heights, snow, trekking, and outdoor activities, this municipality could be the ideal place for you. Come and discover its fantastic territory without hesitation!
