Subiaco

History

Among the first ancient settlers in the area were the Aequi, an Italic people. In 304 BC they were conquered by the Romans, who introduced their civilization and took advantage of the waters of the River Aniene. The present name of the city comes from the artificial lakes of the luxurious villa that Roman Emperor Nero had built: in Latin Sublaqueum means "under the lake". The name was applied to the town that developed nearby. The biggest of the three Subiaco Dams was then the highest dam in the world until its destruction in 1305. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the villa and the town were abandoned, becoming almost forgotten ruins.

When St. Benedict, at the age of fourteen (c. 494), retired from the world and lived for three years in a cave above the River Aniene, he was supplied with the necessaries of life by a monk, St. Roman. From this grotto, St. Benedict developed the concepts and organization of the Benedictine Order. He built twelve monasteries, including one at the grotto, and placed twelve monks in each. In 854 a record noted its renovation. In this year, Pope Leo IV is said to have consecrated an altar to Sts. Benedict and Scholastica, who was St Benedict's sister, and another to St. Sylvester.

Another renovation took place in 1053 under Abbot Humbert of the Abbey of St. Scholastica. Abbot John V, created cardinal by Pope Gregory VII, made the grotto the terminus of a yearly procession, built a new road, and had the altars reconsecrated. By 1200 there was a community of twelve monks, on which Innocent III conferred the title of priory; John XXII in 1312 appointed a special abbot for the monks. A new road was built by the city in 1688. …

Main sights

In addition to the two abbeys, including Abbey of Santa Scolastica, also noteworthy are:

Nero's villa

Rocca Abbaziale ("Abbot's castle"), a massive medieval edifice largely rebuilt in the 16th and 17th centuries

Church of Saint Francis (1327), holds notable paintings from the 15th and 16th centuries.