About Formia

Source www.unarussainitalia.ru

Formia's unique location, between the mountains and the sea, helps to maintain an excellent climate throughout the year. The Aurunci Mountains shelter it from the northern winds, but the air of the Tyrrhenian Sea soothes the summer heat. In summer, many Italians choose Formia for beach vacations for its beautiful sandy coastlines and numerous tourist structures. The historical center of Formia deserves special attention. Historical and archaeological monuments are concentrated here.

There are 2 districts in Formia that deserve special interest. These are Mola and Castellone districts.

Castellone district

Castellone district has preserved its antique appearance despite the centuries; there is no longer a tower belt of 12 original stone towers, destroyed during World War II. Today, only two remain, one of which was created during the Republican era, the Torrione dei Caetani, and the other called the Clock Tower (Torre dell'Orologio) because of the presence of an 18th century majolica clock. If you walk further along the streets of the area, you will come to the Cisternone or Roman Reservoir (Cisternone Romano), a grand hydraulic structure from the 1st century BC, designed during the Roman Empire. The structure is so strong that it can support houses and streets in the vicinity. After 2000 years, this historical monument can be visited. It is worth noting that it is the only structure of the Roman era preserved in all of Italy. Also you should look at the Duomo Sant'Erasmo, a church with 3 naves and belonging to the Renaissance style. Inside there are an anonymous 18th century painting and a tombstone of the noble Marzano family from 1968, as well as an 18th century altar with a wooden statue of a saint.

Mola district

Another area is Mola, where you can make other interesting artistic and architectural discoveries, such as the remains of the 10th-century Castello Angioino in Mola, which is remembered by a cylindrical tower 27 meters high from the 13th century.

This area is home to many restaurants with local cuisine, usually fish and seafood pasta. Be sure to try the "Polipetti affogati" (small-sized octopus stewed with tomatoes).

Cicero's tomb

The most famous monument of Formia is the Tomb of Cicero (Tomba di Cicerone), a mausoleum from the Roman era, which is probably located near the almost not preserved grand villa of the orator. According to the historian Strabo, Marcus Tullius Cicero loved Formia, often spent time here and was murdered in 43 B.C. Legend tells us that it was in Formia that the great orator was buried, even if his remains are now in Rome.

Archaeological Museum of Formia

The museum is located on the first floor of the municipality. It consists of 3 rooms, one of which is filled with amphorae and the other two with several statues in different states of decay. None of the rooms were 100% full and the information notices were only in Italian.

On weekends there is a fair outside the museum, locals bring their products: wine, cheeses, pastries, honey, handicrafts, etc. You can taste everything.

Take a look at the photos made during a short forty minute walk around Formia in October 2020.