- Formia
Infobox CityIT
img_coa =Formia-Stemma.gif
official_name = Comune di Formia
name=Formia
mapx=41.26
image_caption=Remains of the ancient Roman port in the Gianola park.
mapy=13.62
region =Lazio
province = Latina (LT)
elevation_m = 19
area_total_km2 = 73
population_as_of =January 1 ,2007
population_total = 36949
population_density_km2 =
timezone = CET, UTC+1
coordinates = coord|41|16|N|13|37|E
frazioni = Marànola, Trivio, Castellonorato, Penitro
telephone = 0771
postalcode = 04023
gentilic = Formiani
saint =St. Erasmus and St. John
day =June 2 andJune 24
mayor = Michele Forte
website = [http://www.comune.formia.lt.it www.comune.formia.lt.it]Formia is a city in the
province of Latina , on the Mediterranean coast ofLazio (Italy ). It is located halfway betweenRome andNaples , and lies on the Roman-eraAppian Way .History
Formia was founded by ancient Romans, the name deriving from the Greek "hormiai", meaning "landing place". It was a renowned resort during the imperial era.
Cicero was assassinated on the Appian Way outside the town in 43 BC, and his tomb remains a minor tourist destination. The city was also the seat ofSt. Erasmus 's martyrdom, by being disemboweled around 303 AD, during the persecutions of Diocletian. After the fall of theWestern Roman Empire the city was sacked by barbarians and the population moved to two distinct burghs on the nearby hill, which were under the rule ofGaeta .Charles II of Anjou built a fortress in the maritime burgh, Mola di Gaeta. The other burgh was known as Castellone, from the castle erected there in the mid-14th century byOnorato I Caetani , count ofFondi .The two villages were united again in 1863 under the name of Formia.
Main sights
The most famous monument of Formia is the mausoleum traditionally identified with the Tomb of Cicero: it is a 24 m-high tower on the old Appian Way, enclosed in a large (83x68 m) funerary precinct.
Other sights include:
*Tower of Castellone
*Roman cistern, one of the world's largest. Similar to the structures in Constantinople and in the Domitian's villa of Albano, it dates from the 1st century BC.
*Remains of the Villa of Mamurra, partly destroyed in 1943, and of Roman aqueducts and "cryptoportici".
*Church of "San Giovanni Battista e Lorenzo", known from 841. It was almost entirely destroyed during World War II. It houses a panel byAntoniazzo Romano (c. 1490)
*Church of "San Luca", known from the 15th century. It has a recently discovered crypt with frescoes of "Episodes of the New Testament" and "Madonna del Latte".
*Renaissance monastery and church of "Sant'Erasmo". It was erected on the alleged site of the saint's martyrdom.
*Archaeological Museum.
*Regional Park of Gianola and Mount of Scauri.port
Formia is the seat of the National Athletics School of the Italian Olympic Committee, founded in 1955. Athletes such as
Pietro Mennea andGiuseppe Gibilisco trained here.Transportation
Formia itself is a the most important transportation hub of southern Lazio. The Rome-Naples rail line passes through Formia, from which visitors and residents travel by bus to
Gaeta , Minturno, Spigno and other local towns.Ferries connect Formia to
Ponza ,Ischia andVentotene .Twin towns
*flagicon|ITA
Ferrara ,Italy
*flagicon|FRAFleury-les-Aubrais ,France , since 2004
*flagicon|Bosnia and HerzegovinaGracanica ,Bosnia and Herzegovina
*flagicon|SWEHaninge ,Sweden
*flagicon|ITASanteramo in Colle ,Italy External links
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