Santa Severa
Santa Severa: a historical and tourist destination
If you are planning a visit to the province of Rome, you cannot miss the opportunity to visit Santa Severa, one of its oldest and most picturesque villages. Located about 50 kilometers north of Rome, this seaside town is a great destination to enjoy both the sea and archaeology.
History
Santa Severa has a long history dating back to the Bronze Age, when a coastal village settled in the place where the Castle of Santa Severa stands today. Afterwards, an important Etruscan settlement called Pyrgi developed in the area, which was an important commercial port of Etruria.
Later, in 264 BC, the Romans founded a colony on the same area where Pyrgi stood, which was fortified by cyclopean walls partially still present.
In the Middle Ages, on the ruins of the Roman town, a small medieval village was built with a castle overlooking the sea. In 1068, the Norman knight Gerardo di Galeria donated the church and the castle of Santa Severa to the Abbey of Farfa, which then gave them to the Abbey of San Paolo Fuori Le Mura. Later, the castle was disputed by two noble families, the Tiniosi and the Bonaventura, until Pope Sixtus IV donated it to the Arcispedale of Santo Spirito in Saxia in 1482.
The rebirth of Santa Severa
In the thirties, Santa Severa transformed into a summer residence for shady characters of the regime. At that time, single-family villas were built, belonging to the "Borgata degli aereonauti". Afterwards, in the seventies, the village developed up to the most northern neighborhood of the village, now known as "Grottini", for the rocky coast below. The summer residence turned into a very popular summer tourist destination.
In the second half of the sixties, the Pio Istituto di Santo Spirito, owner of the Castle of Santa Severa, ordered a major renovation, completed in 1970 by the famous architect Riccardo Medici.
Archaeology
The excavations in Santa Severa have brought to light the remains of a large Etruscan sanctuary located a few steps from the shore. The sanctuary included two temples, one of which was dedicated to the Etruscan goddess Uni, assimilated to the Phoenician Astarte. The oldest temple (temple B) dates back to the end of the sixth century BC, the most recent and majestic (temple A) to the first half of the fifth century BC. One of the most important discoveries of the area is a fragment of an Altorilievo of Pyrgi with mythological figures, now reconstructed at the Villa Giulia Museum in Rome.
In conclusion, Santa Severa is a destination that combines the sea with history, representing a must-see tourist destination for those visiting the province of Rome.
