Anagni...

 

Located in the acropolis of Anagni, the St. Mary's Cathedral is one of the most important Romanesque monuments in the city. Built in the twelfth century, also characterized by the bell tower completely detached from the church, has within it the characteristic Cosmati floor dating back to 1230.

Do not miss the Crypt which with its frescoed 540 sqm has been called the "Sistine Chapel of the Middle Ages".

Also visit the Lapidary, the Oratory of St. Thomas Becket and the Cathedral Treasury that collects, along with other sacred objects of common use, a valuable collection of vestments donated to the cathedral by Pope Boniface VIII.

 

www.cattedraledianagni.it

One of the ancient gates of the medieval city walls that open onto the Roman and medieval wall in opus quadratum, St. Mary Gate was formerly called Gate of the Idols. What we see today is the remake of 1500.

We can observe the coat of arms of Pope Pius IV on the keystone and on the left side a plate commemorating the visit of Marcus Aurelius.

Dating back to the mid-twelfth century when the city commissioned the construction of its headquarters to the architect Jacopo da Iseo. He arranged the existing buildings, unifying them by building a large porch, with large round arches. On the big porch Jacopo made ​​a majestic hall: the "Reason Hall", so called for being the seat of the court. The main facade of the town hall looks on the square of the Abattoir, now John Paul II Square, here the building has mullioned windows that give the name to the room, some coats of arms of the city and of the Caetani family and the fifteenth-century Loggia of the Auctioneer.  On this side you will find the grand staircase leading to the upper floor. The building has suffered constant transformations, it was the residence of the Popes, Cardinals, governors and public representatives of the city who lived in there for the period of their mandate.

 

Around the mid twelfth century, just outside the city walls of the city of Anagni, was built a monastery belonging to the order of the Poor Clares that survived until the mid-sixteenth century. In this area in 1926 was made a boarding school for orphans of employees INADEL that incorporated the ancient church of the monastery within the complex. The church has an interesting Cosmati floor and a series of thirteen frescoes depicting scenes from the life of Christ.

The Boniface VIII Palace is located on the west side of Innocenzo III Square. Today is joined to the Cistercian Sisters of Charity Institute, but in the thirteenth century it stood isolated and, on the southern front, it lined up with the retaining wall of the ancient acropolis of Anagni, occupied by the medieval district "Castle". Built in the late twelfth century by the Conti family, during the papacy of Pope Gregory IX, in 1295 it became property of the Caetani family, of which Pope Boniface VIII was a descendant. You can visit the Hall of the Geese, named for the fresco present in it and the Hall of the Exchequer, where according to tradition, took place the famous episode "The slap of Anagni" in 1303.

www.palazzobonifacioviii.it

Ceres Gate, which takes its name from the Roman goddess, should be built on the site of the ancient access of Anagnia, the chief town of the ancient people Hernici, as is mentioned by Marcus Aurelius. Since Roman period, the Gate was renovated several times, until the Middle Ages when the name Ceres spread throughout the neighborhood, at that time one of the most densely populated of the city.

Destroyed during the war between Spain and Austria, the monument was rebuilt only in the nineteenth century. A plaque recalling some verses of Dante Alighieri referred to Anagni is fixed on the Gate.

 

Along the main street of Anagni, some examples of noble buildings, evidently belonging to the feudal lords and cardinals, characterized by facades with single and double windows and some arcades, testify the presence of the Popes in Anagni with their retinue of cardinals , priests, men of the curia, bankers, merchants and employees. An example of such housing is Barnekow House, from the name of a Swedish nobleman who in the Nineteenth Century bought it and decorated the facade with frescoes and inscriptions of religious and esoteric subject written in different languages. The exterior is very picturesque because of the staircase leading to the first floor. Everything is covered with large round arches, resting on a column surmounted by a capital decorated with acanthus leaves.

Ancient monastery of the Florense Order, built at the request of Cardinal Ugolino Conti, the future Pope Gregory IX. The abbey was short-lived. In fact, already in 1261, at the death of Pope Alexander IV, the monastery began to lose his papal protection that had been granted until then. It was finally closed in 1297 when it was purchased by the Caetani family. The building was desecrated and nowadays it's property of the City.