| This town stands on the slope of the
highest of the volcanic craters of the Colli Albani, and thanks
to its position it is possible to see Rocca di Papa from almost
all the nearby territories. This town due its birth to the Latin
League's sanctuary on Monte Cavo consecrated to Jove “Laziale”,
that was a very important religious centre for the Latin populations.
On the hill there was probably the sacerdotal college of the priests
preserving this cult ‘i Cabenses'.
Rocca di Papa was first mentioned in 1044 in a document written
when Benedict IX (1032-1044), took refuge in the ‘castrum
qui dicitur Monte Cabum'. It then was property of the
Conti di Tuscolo and of the Frangipane Family. The name ‘Rocca
di Papa' is due to the domination of the Holy See from
the 11th to the 13th century. Also the Annibaldi owned Rocca
di Papa, and the place ‘Campi di Annibale' was named
after them. In 1328, Rocca di Papa was invaded by Ludovico il
Bavaro, who left here some of his troops with defensive purposes.
There is a quarter in Rocca di Papa, that is still called ‘dei
Bavaresi'. For a short period of time the town belonged
to the Orsini, but later it was again Annibaldi's property.
In 1425 it was bought by the Colonna, and followed the sorts
of this noble family. In 1541 as consequence of a military attack,
the fortress was destroyed by Pier Luigi Farnese. In 1577 the
town was completely destroyed during the struggle ‘del
sale'.
Rocca di Papa was Colonna's property till 1816, when
it was owned by the Holy See. In 1855 Rocca di Papa was declared
a Republic after an insurrection of its inhabitants, rebelling
because of the bad life conditions related to the woods exploitation.
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