Rocca Santo Stefano
Discovering Rocca Santo Stefano
Hello everyone! Today I'll be talking about Rocca Santo Stefano, a Municipality in the metropolitan city of Rome Capital, in Lazio. I'll give you some information about the territory, climate, and history of this small town.
Physical Geography
The Municipality of Rocca Santo Stefano covers an area of about 25 km² and has a population of around 941 inhabitants. The territory is located at an altitude of 675 m above sea level. It borders the Municipalities of Bellegra, Pisoniano, and Subiaco.
Territory
The territory is predominantly hilly, characterized by holm oak forests and a very varied fauna. Furthermore, there is a natural spring that supplies water to the village.
Climate
The climate in Rocca Santo Stefano is Mediterranean, with hot summers and rather cold winters. The Municipal classification of the Municipality is zone E, 2325 GR/G.
History
Rocca Santo Stefano has a long history that dates back to the period of the Equi, the first people who inhabited the territory of Rocca S. Stefano. They gave it the name Rocca D'Equi. The citizens' need to have a center where they could gather led to the construction of the church of S. Stefano, linked to the cemetery.
As the population grew, the village was increasingly plundered by Filippo da Marano and the lords of Civitella. For this reason, a small castle was built on the highest spur of the rock, around which many houses were built, and a lazaretto was built to isolate plague patients.
Over the years, Rocca Santo Stefano followed the events of the Benedictine monastery of Subiaco, getting involved in the struggles supported by the monks. In 1096, Abbot Giovanni purchased the village in exchange for Pisoniano. A few decades later, Abbot Simone, taken prisoner in 1167 by Filippo da Marano, was forced to pawn Rocca Santo Stefano to the Roman family of the counts Ceci, who became feudal lords of the abbey.
As time passed, the people of Rocca rebelled against the exploited counts Ceci. They built a majestic church near the castle, where the old church was located. This was a way to assert their opposition to the power of the counts represented by the castle.
Conclusions
Here is a brief description of Rocca Santo Stefano, a Municipality with an ancient and interesting past. If you're interested in the history and beauty of small Italian villages, Rocca S. Stefano is definitely a place to visit. Here you can admire the beauty of the Roman hills and discover the history of a proud and courageous people.
