Marino, Italy

Infobox CityIT
img_coa = Marino (RM)-Stemma.png official_name = Comune di Marino
region = Lazio
province = Rome
elevation_m = 360
area_total_km2 = 26.10
population_as_of = December 31, 2006
population_total = 37684


image_caption=View of the historical centre.
population_density_km2 = 1443
timezone = CET, UTC+1
coordinates = coord|41|46|N|12|40|E
frazioni = Cava dei Selci, Frattocchie, Santa Maria delle Mole, Sassone
telephone = 06
mapx=42|mapy=12.7|name=Marino
postalcode = 00047
gentilic = Marinesi
saint = San Barnaba
day = june 11
mayor = Adriano Palozzi
website = [http://www.comune.marino.rm.it www.comune.marino.rm.it]

Marino ("Marinum" or "Castrimoenium" in latin, "Marini" in local dialect) is an Italian city and "comune" in Lazio (central Italy), on the Alban Hills, Italy, 21km south east of Rome, with population of 37.684 [It's the third "comune" in Alban Hills for population, after Velletri and Albano Laziale.] and a territory of 26.10 km [It's the fourth "comune" in the Alban Hills for territory, after Velletri, Rocca di Papa and Rocca Priora.] . It's bounded by other communes, Castel Gandolfo, Albano Laziale, Rocca di Papa, Grottaferrata, and Ciampino. [Ciampino was a "frazione" of Marino up to December 1974.]

Marino is famous for his white wine, and for the connected "Grape Festival", being celebrated since 1924.

History

The territory of Marino was inhabited by Latin tribes since the 1st millennium BC. The ancient cities of "Bovillae" (Frattocchie), "Mugilla" (Santa Maria delle Mole, a "frazione" of the "comune" of Marino) and "Ferentum" (Marino itself) were part of the Latin League. Under the Roman Republic it was a summer resort for Roman patricians, who built luxurious villas in the area.

In 846 AD Bovillae, till now the largest settlement, was destroyed by the Saracens, and the population moved to the more easily defendable area of Ferentum, which was fortified under the new name of Marino. Since 1090 it was a dominium of the Counts of Tusculum, and later a fief of the Frangipane and, since 1266, the Orsini. In 1272 San Bonaventura founded here the first confraternite of Italy. [ [http://www.prolocomarino.it/storia_tradizioni_it.htm] ]

In 1347 it was besieged in vain by Cola di Rienzo. Fifty years later it was the seat of the battle between Alberico da Barbiano and the French troops supporting Antipope Clement VII. In 1419 it was bought by the Colonna, who maintained it until 1914.

Marino hosted famous historical figures, from Charles VIII of France to Alfonso II d'Este and many others. Vittoria Colonna was born in Marino in 1492 and lived there part of her life. In 1571 Marino's people welcomed Marcantonio Colonna, a protagonist of the Battle of Lepanto, with a triumph, remembered yearly by a festival.

It became part of Italy in 1870.

On March 14 1880 the railway Rome-Ciampino-Marino was opened for service. On April 1 1906 an electric tram line replaced the former. In 1954 the electric tram line was replaced by buses.

On February 2 1944, during World War II, Marino was heavily bombed by USAAF aircraft.

Main sights

*Basilic of "San Barnaba" (17th century). It is in Baroque style, with a 1653 imposing façade. The interior is on the Latin cross with a nave and two aisles. Among the other artworks, it houses the "Martyr of St. Bartholomew" by Guercino and a bust of St. Anthony the Abbot by Ercole Ferrata.
*Church of the "Santissima Trinità" (1640). It houses a "Mystery of the Holy Trinity", now recognized as from a pupil of Guido Reni.
*"Santa Maria delle Grazie". It has a single nave with side chapels. It is home to a painting of "St. Roch" attributed to Domenichino and, in a niche at the high altar, a fresco attributed to Benozzo Gozzoli (15th century)
*"Chiesa del SS. Rosario" (1713), a noteworthy example of Rococo art.
*"Palazzo Colonna" (16th century)
*"Fontana dei Mori", depicting prisoners from the aforementioned Battle of Lepanto.
*Mithraeum, with an important fresco (2nd century AD) portraying the God Mithra slaughtering the bull.

Festivals

*Grape Festival (Italian: "Sagra dell'uva"): Every 1st Sunday of October. This festival is very famous in the surrounding area because, for about one hour, some of the city's fountains spill wine instead of water, recalling the memory of the old vintage and the historical event of the return in Marino of Marcantonio Colonna with 260 "Marinesi" from the Battle of Lepanto (1571-10-07).
*Doughnut Festival (Italian: "Sagra della ciambella al mosto"): Every 2nd Sunday of October. The doughnut (ring-shaped cake) made with flour, raisins and must (grape juice) is a typical product, a "marinese" cake, of limited production, only in the time of vintage, a tradition based on a recipe of the 17th century.

Twin towns

*flagicon|Belgium Anderlecht, Belgium
*flagicon|France Boulogne Billancourt, France
*flagicon|United Kingdom Hammersmith, United Kingdom
*flagicon|Germany Neukölln, Germany
*flagicon|Netherlands Zaanstad, Netherlands
*flagicon|Spain Paterna, Spain
*flagicon|USA Irving, USA
*flagicon|Greece Nafpaktos, Greece

Famous citizens and residents

* Vittoria Colonna, poet
* Giacomo Carissimi, musician
* Domenico Pacini, physicist
* Paolo Mercuri
* Giuseppe Ungaretti, poet
* Umberto Mastroianni, artist
* Hans Werner Henze, composer
* Jacoba of Settesoli, (Torre Astura, 1190 – Assisi, 1236) disciple of St Francis of Assisi

Note

External links

* [http://www.prolocomarino.it/ History and culture in Marino] it icon
* [http://www.sagramarino.altervista.org/ The "sagra" of Marino] it icon