Nepi

Nepi
—  Comune  —
Comune di Nepi
Town Hall
Coat of arms
Nepi Location of Nepi in Italy
Coordinates: 42°14′N 12°20′E / 42.233°N 12.333°E / 42.233; 12.333
Country	Italy
Region	Lazio
Province	Viterbo (VT)
Government
– Mayor	Franco Vita
Area
– Total	84 km2 (32.4 sq mi)
Elevation	227 m (745 ft)
Population (30 April 2009)
– Total	9,317
– Density	110.9/km2 (287.3/sq mi)
Demonym	Nepesini
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
– Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	01036
Dialing code	0761
Patron saint	Sts. Ptolemy and Romanus
Saint day	August 24
Website	Official website

Nepi (anciently Nepet or Nepete) is a town and comune in Italy in the province of Viterbo, region of Lazio. The town lies 30 km southeast of the city of Viterbo and about 13 km southwest from Civita Castellana.

The town is known for its mineral springs, sold and bottled under the Acqua di Nepi brand throughout Italy.

History

The location of the city was already occupied in the 8th century BC, and neighbouring Pizzo in the Bronze Age. Nepet then became Roman before 386 BC, when Livy speaks of it and Sutrium as the keys of Etruria. In that year it was surrendered to the Etruscans and recovered by the Romans, who beheaded the authors of its surrender. It became a colony in 383 BC. It was among the twelve Latin colonies that refused further help to Rome in 209 BC. After the Social War it became a municipium. It is hardly mentioned in imperial times, except as a station on the road (Via Amerina) which diverged from the Via Cassia near the modern Settevene and ran to Amelia and Todi.

In the 8th century AD it was for a short while the seat of a duchy.

Main sights

• Borgia castle, a 15th century reconstruction of a feudal manor. It has massive walls and four towers, one of which visitable.
• Cathedral of the Assunta, built in the 12th century over a pagan temple. It has been rebuilt in 1831 after the French troops had set it on fire during the Napoleonic Wars. Of the ancient structure the crypt remains, which includes the primitive pagan altar
• Town Hall, designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger in the 15th century, was completed in the 18th century only. The bottom part made by stone, ist embellished by a porch and the upper part by windows and a balcony with an original bell-tower on the top. Just in front of it there's a fountain that is presumed to be designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. On the inside there is a Museum with archaeological founds of the local area.
• Santa Savinilla Catacombs (800 B.C.)

References

• di Gennaro, F., Cerasuolo, O., Colonna, C., Rajala, U., Stoddart, S. K. F. and Whitehead, N. 2002. "Recent research on the city and territory of Nepi." Papers of the British School at Rome 70: 29-77.
• Edwards, C., Malone, C. A. T. and Stoddart, S. K. F. 1995. "Reconstructing a gateway city: the place of Nepi in the study of south-eastern Etruria. "In Christie, N. (ed), Settlement and economy in Italy. 1500 BC - AD 1500. Oxbow monograph 41. Oxford, Oxbow Books, pp. 431–440

•  Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). "Nepi". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.