Formia

Formia
Comune
Comune di Formia

Remains of the ancient Roman port in the Gianola park.

Coat of arms
Formia

Location of Formia in Italy

Coordinates: 41°16′N 13°37′E / 41.267°N 13.617°E
Country Italy
Region Lazio
Province Latina (LT)
Frazioni Marànola, Trivio, Castellonorato, Penitro
Government
  Mayor Sandro Bartolomeo
Area
  Total 73 km2 (28 sq mi)
Elevation 19 m (62 ft)
Population (9 October 2011)
  Total 36,331
  Density 500/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
Demonym Formiani
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 04023
Dialing code 0771
Patron saint St. Erasmus and St. John
Saint day June 2 and June 24
Website Official website

Formia is a city and comune in the province of Latina, on the Mediterranean coast of Lazio (Italy). It is located halfway between Rome and Naples, and lies on the Roman-era Appian Way.

History

Formiae (modern day Formia) was founded by ancient Romans, the name deriving from the Greek Ὁρμίαι hormiai, meaning "landing place". It was a renowned resort during the imperial era.

The octagonal tower of Castellone.

Cicero was assassinated on the Appian Way outside the town in 43 BC, and his tomb remains a minor tourist destination. The city was also the seat of St. Erasmus's martyrdom, by being disemboweled around 303 AD, during the persecutions of Diocletian. St. Erasmus later also became known as Saint Elmo the patron saint of sailors.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the city was sacked by barbarians and the population moved to two distinct burghs on the nearby hill, which were under the rule of Gaeta. Charles II of Anjou built a fortress in the maritime burgh, Mola di Gaeta. The other burgh was known as Castellone, from the castle erected there in the mid-14th century by Onorato I Caetani, count of Fondi.

The two villages were united again in 1863 under the name of Formia. The reunited city was badly damaged in 1943–44 in bombing operations and the Battle of Anzio.

Main sights

The most famous monument of Formia is the mausoleum traditionally identified with the Tomb of Cicero: it is a 24-metre (79 ft) high tower on the old Appian Way, enclosed in a large, 83-by-68-metre (272 by 223 ft) funerary precinct.

Other sights include:

Sport

Formia is the seat of the National Athletics School of the Italian National Olympic Committee, founded in 1955. Athletes such as Pietro Mennea and Giuseppe Gibilisco trained here.

Transportation

Formia itself is the most important transportation hub of southern Lazio. The Rome–Formia–Naples railway passes through Formia-Gaeta railway station, from which visitors and residents may travel by bus to Gaeta, Minturno, Spigno and other local towns.

Ferries and hydrofoils connect Formia to Ponza, Ischia and Ventotene.

Twin towns

Notable people

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Formia.