San Biagio
Monte San Biagio: the long historical journey from the Castellum of Monticelli
Hello everyone! Today we are talking about Monte San Biagio, a municipality in the province of Latina in southern Lazio, with its 6060 inhabitants. This place is very interesting historically, so let's summarize it!
Physical geography
The municipality of Monte San Biagio is located on a spur of Mount Calvo, in the Ausoni Mountains range. The municipal territory is predominantly mountainous and the highest point is Monte delle Fate, at an altitude of 1090 meters above sea level. The flat landscape extends between the mountain and Lake Fondi and includes the valleys of San Vito and Valle Marina.
Climate
The climate of Monte San Biagio falls within zone C, with 1319 GR/G.
History
The Castellum of Monticelli
The Castellum of Monticelli, the primitive inhabited nucleus of the municipality of Monte San Biagio, was mentioned for the first time in 1099. From then on, this place was part of the Duchy of Fondi until 1140, when it passed to the County of Fondi in the Kingdom of Sicily, as a feoff to the Dell'Aquila family.
Vassals and lords over the centuries
Subsequently, the castellum changed hands among many noble families. In 1299 it was granted to the Caetani family, followed by the Colonna family in 1494, Gonzaga in 1570, Carafa in 1591, Mansfeld in 1690 and Di Sangro in 1721.
The diocese
Monte San Biagio was part of the diocese of Fondi until 1818 and then became part of the diocese of Gaeta, which became an archdiocese in 1848. The municipality was also part of the province of Terra di Lavoro until 1927.
Villa San Vito
The area of Villa San Vito, a small inhabited center that arose in the Middle Ages in the valley of San Vito, surmounted by the presence of the chapel of the Saint, was inhabited by the bishops of Fondi who had a palace there. It was destroyed in the early 1500s by Countess Isabella Colonna.
The name change
After the unification of Italy, the municipality of Monticelli was forced to change its name to avoid confusion with other municipalities with similar names. The municipal council decided to change the name to Monte San Vito in 1862, but since there were other locations with the same name, the name Monte San Biagio was adopted the same year, in honor of the patron saint.
The Appian Way and the border with the Papal State
Monte San Biagio was the first inhabited center of the Two Sicilies, encountered by travelers going from Rome to Naples via the Appian Way. The border between the Papal State and the Kingdom of Naples passed over the crests of the Ausoni Mountains, crossing Monte delle Fate. At the customs station of the Torre dell'Epitaffio, where the kingdom's customs officers checked travelers and goods, the border crossing took place.
The crisis between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
Monte San Biagio, in the 16th and 17th centuries, experienced a serious crisis due to the increase of malaria that hit the Plain of Fondi, invaded by marshes.
That's all in brief about the history of Monte San Biagio. Thank you for your attention and see you soon!
