Once Sulmo, today, Sermoneta
, but above all its historic centre, captures the traveller’s attention, whether travelling along the Via Appia or passing through on the Rome-Naples railway line at Latina station. Sermoneta, which stands on a hill 257 metres above sea level, is considered among the most charming Italian villages. Dominating the entire Pontine plain is the majestic castle, owned by the Caetani family, which made the feud one of the most coveted both economically and artistically, so much so that in 1499 it attracted the expansionist ambitions of Pope Alexander VI, who first excommunicated the Caetani family and then conquered Sermoneta, giving it to his daughter Lucrezia Borgia. The Castle of Sermoneta then returned permanently to the Caetani family’s possessions.
Surrounded by defensive walls that are still intact, Sermoneta today is one of the most visited tourist resorts in the province of Latina, precisely because it preserves its history, art, history and unique nature reserves, so much so that it has been awarded the prestigious ‘Orange Flag’ recognition by the Italian Touring Club.
In its historical centre, it is possible to visit: the majestic Caetani Castle, the merchants’ loggia
, and the 12th-century Cathedral of St. Mary, which houses some interesting works inside, such as the panel painting by Benozzo Gozzoli depicting the Madonna holding the town of Sermoneta on her lap. Other places of worship include the 15th-century Church of St Joseph, patron saint of the town, the 11th-century Church of St Michael Archangel, and the 12th-century Convent of St Francis, which stands just outside the town walls of Sermoneta.
Not far from Sermoneta, stands the Abbey of Valvisciolo which, according to tradition, was restored by the Templars, who also hid a treasure near it.
Templar symbols can still be found in the Cistercian abbey today. The interior of the church has a nave and two side aisles divided by pillars and columns, while the walls feature interesting frescoes by Niccolò Circignani known as ‘il Pomarancio’. near the abbey of Valvisciolo was found
Remains of a Necropolis attributed to the Iron Age, in which about eighty tombs dating between the 8th and 6th centuries B.C. have been found, have been found near Valvisciolo, while from Sermoneta it is easy to reach the Oasis of Ninfa, a typical English garden, started by Gelasio Caetani in 1921, in the area of the disappeared medieval town of Ninfa. During the year, important events take place in Sermoneta, such as the Sagra della Polenta, on the third Sunday in January, the Festa dei Fauni, on 19 March, the Maggio Sermonetano (May in Sermoneta) in July, the Pontine Festival of Classical Music, the St Michael’s Fair on 29 September, and the Historical Re-enactment of the Battle of Lepanto, on the second Sunday in October.