Colonna, Lazio

Colonna is a comune (municipality) in the Province o Roum in the Italian region Lazio, locatit aboot 20 km sootheast o Roum, on the Alban Hills. Wi a population o some 3,900, it is the smawest o the Castelli Romani. History Auncient era The territory o Colonna is believit tae hae includit the auncient commonty o Labici, locatit in the aurie o the modren comune o Monte Compatri. Labici wis conquered in 414 BC bi the Romans unner the dictator Quintus Servilius Priscus an razit tae the grund. The Labicani then foondit Labicum Quintanas near the Touer o the Pasolina near Colonna. The place is notit as Ad Quintanas, a station on the Via Labicana, atween Roum an Ad Bivium. Middle Ages Labicum Quintanas became a episcopal see in the 4t century. The inhabitit aurie began tae decay an disappeared wi the Gothic War (535-554). Colonna is mentioned for the first time in 1047, in a deed o Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor, a guest at the castle, which haed taken its name frae a column o the auncient Labicum Quintanense, when he stoppit thare durin his march that wi his airmy tae Naples alang the Via Casilina. In 1101 Peter, son o Gregory III, Coont of Tusculum, receivit as inheritance the territory an the Castle o Columna, wi Monte Porzio Catone, Monte Compatri an ither surroondin possessions. Peter wis the foonder of Colonna faimily, which teuk the name frae this property. In 1298 Pape Boniface VIII ordered the destruction o Colonna an its castle as punishment against the Colonna faimily. Wi the advent o Pape Clement V (1305) the Colonna faimily resumit the fief wi aw o its territories. Modren age In 1662, the Colonna faimily sauld the Castrum Columnae tae Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi. In 1710 the Ludovisi faimily sauld it tae the Rospigliosi-Pallavicini faimily. The Rospigliosi-Pallavicini maintained the feudal dominion on Colonna up tae 5 Juin 1848. In 1849 the Comune an the Municipality o Colonna wis constitutit. Main sichts The Baronial Palace (Italian: Palazzo Baronale) wis built bi the Colonna faimily in the 16t century on the steid o the Roman castrum on the heichest pairt on the hill. The main façade haes a ashlar portal, while the opposite front haes a double order o five arcades. The soothwast side wes modifee'd when the kirk dedicatit tae Saunt Nicholas wis erectit in the 18t century bi the Pallavicini faimily. Cultur In the first Sunday o July, the Donkey's Palio (Italian: Palio degli Asini) is held. The seiven quairters o the toun compete ridin donkeys in medieval dress. Transportation The commune is connectit tae Roum an soothren Italy throu the Via Casilina. It haes a station on the Roum–Cassino railway an aw; the ane on the Roum-Fiuggi narrae gauge railwey is nou abandoned, haein been replacit bi regional bus service held bi COTRAL. References Freemit airtins Offeecial wabsteid