Priverno

Priverno
—  Comune  —
Comune di Priverno
View of the Fossanova Abbey mapx=41.44
Priverno
Location of Priverno in Italy
Coordinates:
Country Italy
Region Lazio
Province Latina (LT)
Frazioni Boschetto, Casale, Case Alloggio Ferrovieri, Ceriara, Colle Rotondo, Colle San Pietro, Colle Sughereto, Fascia, Fornillo, Fossanova, Gricilli, Le Crete, Maccalè, Mezzagosto, Montalcide, Osteria dei Pignatari, Perazzette, Pruneto, San Martino, Stazione Fossanova, Stradone Grotte
Government
 • Mayor Umberto Macci
Area
 • Total 56 km2 (21.6 sq mi)
Elevation 151 m (495 ft)
Population (30 April 2008)
 • Total 14,161
 • Density 252.9/km2 (654.9/sq mi)
Demonym Privernati or Pipernesi
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 04015
Dialing code 0773
Patron saint St. Thomas Aquinas
Saint day March 7
Website Official website

Priverno is a town and comune in the province of Latina, Lazio, central Italy.

It has a station of the Rome-Naples railway mainline. Nearby is the Monti Lepini chain.

History

Privernum is described by Livy as a flourishing Volscian site, which was conquered and destroyed by the Romans in the late 4th century BC. The Appian Way passed nearby. The town recovered under the Roman rule, but disappeared after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, probably destroyed by Saracen attacks.

It was later a minor center of the Papal States, to which it belonged until the capture of Rome in 1870.

Main sights

Nearby is the famous Abbey of Fossanova, which is where the town's patron saint, St. Thomas Aquinas died on March 7, 1274. Also notable are the churches of:

Lay buildings include the Villa Gallio, a residence of Cardinal Bartolomeo Gallio, the Communal Palace (13th century), with the Dolphin Fountain by Giuseppe Olivieri and the Porta San Marco and Porta Posterola, the only remains of the seven gates once giving access to Priverno. Remains of the old Privernum are located outside the town, including parts of the walls, baths, three partician houses and a temple. Here a colossal statue of Tiberius (now in the Vatican Museum) was found in the late 18th century.