Cisterna Di Latina: History and Culture

Those looking for a hotel in Cisterna Di Latina can use the town’s cultural themes as a guide when planning their trip. Its cultural traces range from a Roman posting station and finds from Tres Tabernae to a fresco in Palazzo Caetani and six “talking benches.” The Palio dell’Anello 2026 is another highlight. Ancient history, the town’s history and more recent remembrance thus sit side by side.

Tres Tabernae: Roads, Finds and Historical Accounts

Tres Tabernae developed around a Roman posting station, where roads from the inland centres of Ulubrae, Norba and Cora met the Via Appia. This network of roads gives the ancient history a clear focus: at its heart was a station where several roads converged. Archaeological finds include grave covers, remains of a villa complex and baths, as well as mosaic floors and a figural emblem. Two perspectives therefore complement each other: the station’s role in transport and the material picture of the settlement.

Historical figures are also associated with Tres Tabernae. Cicero stayed there and mentioned the place in three letters to Atticus, written in 61 and 59 BC. The Apostle Paul spent a night in Tres Tabernae during his journey from Tarsus to Rome and met Christians from the surrounding area there. The two connections are different in character: Cicero’s letters preserve the place in literary accounts, while Paul’s story centres on a stop along his journey and an encounter.

Palazzo Caetani and the Townscape

A large fresco survives in the so-called Sala Zuccari in Palazzo Caetani. It depicts the Caetani family’s holdings in the Pontine region in the 18th century. The artwork thus offers a different way of exploring history from the ancient finds at Tres Tabernae. The Cattedrale S.Maria Assunta in Cielo stands at the centre of Piazza 19 Marzo. Together, the fresco and the cathedral provide two tangible points of reference for exploring the town’s history.

Remembrance and Tradition

Six “talking benches” stand in the Giardino della Madonna del Divino Amore, dedicated to the “unarmed heroes of the Grotten” of the Second World War. They commemorate Padre Eugenio Caldarazzo, Alessandro Coppetelli, Augusto Leonardi, Ivan Marinelli, Anna Maria Luiselli and Emilio Sottoriva. These six supported the community of Cisterna during the war. The dedication brings specific individuals to the fore; the accounts of Tres Tabernae, by contrast, concern a much earlier period.

The Palio dell’Anello 2026 is a competition that draws on Cisterna Di Latina’s centuries-old Buttero tradition. In the competition, riders galloped forward and used a lance to spear small rings. The format combines speed with precision: alongside the pace of the gallop comes the targeted attempt to hit a small ring.

Practical Information

There is a large free car and bus park at the entrance to the Giardino di Ninfa. Check the parking information before your visit, as arrangements may change.

Discover more destinations: Latina, Giulianello, Borgo Vodice, Maranola-Trivio, Lenola, Terracina, San Donato, Pontinia.

Go to the main travel overview: Latina.