Frascati is a town in the province of Rome in the Latium region of central Italy. It is located 20 km south-east of Rome, on the Alban Hills close to the ancient city of Tusculum. Its origin dates back to the year 1191 after Tusculum was put to fire ad sward. The Tusculum survivors abandoned it and went to live below, at the hamlet then known as frascata the bowery.
Frascati is not only closely associated with science, being the location of several international scientific laboratories, the INFN, the ENEA (the Italian Alternative Energy Authority) and the ESA (the European Space agency), but it is also an important historical and artistic centre famous for its notable villas, which were built from the 16th century on by Popes, cardinals and Roman nobles as "status symbols" of Roman aristocracy. These country houses were designed for social activities rather than farming.
|
The ruins of Tusculum: view of the theatre.
Tusculum is one of the largest Roman cities in Alban Hills. The ruins of Tusculum are located on Tuscolo hill—more specifically on the northern edge of the outer crater ring of the Alban volcano. The volcano itself is located in the Alban Hills 6 km north-east of the present-day town of Frascati.
|
The villa has an imposing 17th -century facade and some other interesting architectural and environmental features, such as the double gallery order on the rear facade, the spiral-shaped flights, the large exedra of the Water Theatre and the magnificent park.
|
|
Villa Mondragone
Villa Mondragone is a patrician villa. It lies on a hill 416m above sea-level, in an area called, from its many castles and villas, Castelli Romani about 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Rome, near the ancient town of Tusculum. In 1981 it was sold by the Order of the Jesuits to the University, where as of modern times, the Villa remains a peripheral seat of the University of Rome Tor Vergata.
|
|
Frascati is the best known of the so-called "Castelli Romani". In fact, when people speak of the Castelli they are often thinking of Frascati, and this is even more true in regard of the wine, for its golden wine is the best known of the Castelli vintages. Innumerable are the cantine (wine-making companies or cellars) that make excellent and renowned wine that are exported all over the world. The wine known as "Frascati" is a "proven origin wine" (vino a denominazione di origine controllata).
