Marino, Italy

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Comune di Marino
Municipal coat of arms
Country	Italy
Region	Lazio
Province	Rome
Mayor	Adriano Palozzi

Elevation	360 m
Area	26 km²
Population
- Total (as of December 31, 2004)	30,626
- Density	1,178/km²
Time zone	CET, UTC+1
Coordinates	41°46′N 12°40′E
Gentilic	Marinesi
Dialing code	06
Postal code	00040, 00043
Frazioni	Cava dei Selci, Frattocchie, Santa Maria delle Mole, Sassone
Patron	San Barnaba
- Day	June 11
Website: www.comune.marino.rm.it

View from Marino.

Marino is a town and comune in Lazio (central Italy), on the Alban Hills, Italy, about 20 km south east of Rome.

It is bounded by other communes, Castel Gandolfo, Albano Laziale, Rocca di Papa, Grottaferrata, and Ciampino.

1 History
2 Main sights
3 Festivals
4 Twin Towns
5 Famous citizens and residens
6 External links

[edit] History

The territory of Marino was inhabited by Latin tribes since the 1st millennium BC. The ancient cities of Bovillae (Frattocchie), Mugilla (Santa Maria delle Mole, a frazione of the comune of Marino) and Ferentum (Marino itself) were part of the Latin League. Under the Roman Republic it was a summer resort for Roman patricians, who built luxurious villas in the area.

In 846 AD Bovillae, till now the largest settlement, was destroyed by the Saracens, and the population moved to the more easily defendable area of Ferentum, which was fortified under the new name of Marino. Since 1090 it was a dominium of the Counts of Tusculum, and later a fief of the Frangipane and, since 1266, the Orsini. In 1272 San Bonaventura founded here the first confraternite of Italy[1].

In 1347 it was besieged in vain by Cola di Rienzo. Fifty years later it was the seat of the battle between Alberico da Barbiano and the French troops supporting [[Antipope Clement VII]. In 1419 it was bought by the Colonna, who maintained it until 1914.

Marino hosted famous historical figures, from Charles VIII of France to Alfonso II d'Este and many others. Vittoria Colonna was born in Marino in 1492 and lived there part of her life. In 1571 Marino's people welcomed Marcantonio Colonna, a protagonist of the Battle of Lepanto, with a triumph, remembered yearly by a festival.

It became part of Italy in 1870.

In March 14th, 1880 was opened for service the Rome-Ciampino-Marino railway.

In April 1st, 1906 the electric tram line was opened for service between Marino and Rome. In 1954 the electric tram line was replaced by buses.

In february, 17th, 1944 during World War II Marino was heavily bombed by USAAF aircraft.

[edit] Main sights

Church of San Barnaba (17th century). It is in Baroque style, with a 1653 imposing façade. The interior is on the Latin cross with a nave and two aisles. Among the other artworks, it houses the Martyr of St. Bartholomew by Guercino and a bust of St. Anthony the Abbot by Ercole Ferrata.
Church of the Santissima Trinità (1640). It houses a Mystery of the Holy Trinity, now recognized as from a pupil of Guido Reni.
Santa Maria delle Grazie. It has a single nave with side chapels. It is home to a painting of St. Roch attributed to Domenichino and, in a niche at the high altar, a fresco attributed to Benozzo Gozzoli (15th century)
Chiesa del SS. Rosario (1713), a noteworthy example of Roccoco art.
Palazzo Colonna (16th century)
Fontana dei Mori, depicting prisoners from the aforementioned Battle of Lepanto.
Mithraeum, with an important fresco (2nd century AD) portraying the God Mithra slaughtering the bull.

Fountains giving wine.

[edit] Festivals

Grape Festival (Italian: Sagra dell'uva): Every 1st Sunday of October. This festival is very famous in the surroundings because, for about one hour, some of the city's fountains spill wine instead of water, recalling the memory of the old vintage and the historical event of the return in Marino of Marcantonio Colonna with 260 "Marinesi" from the Battle of Lepanto (1571-10-07).
Doughnut Festival (Italian: Sagra della ciambella al mosto): Every 2nd Sunday of October. The doughnut (ring-shaped cake) make with flour, raisins and must (grapes-juce) is a typical product, a "marinese" cake, of limited production, only in the time of vintage, a tradition based on a recipe of the 17th century.