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Formation Of The Town |
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The town is built on the side of a hill which is part of Mount Cacume and from its high position, overlooking the
valleys of Sacco and Liri, it offers a unique, beautiful and various panorama, which stretches from Anagni, the City
of Popes, to the illustrious abbey of Montecassino and to the Apennine Abruzzese.
The climate is temperate and unchanging, this is due to the mountains which stop cold winds and to the sea, which
is less than 50 kilometers away.
Wild plants are typical of the Mediterranean vegetation (macchia mediterranea). The area is mostly covered by
chestnut and olive trees, while the farm land is mostly used for the cultivation of grape vines and wheat.
Most of the inhabitants practice agriculture and cattle raising. Emigration to the United States is important and
still continuing. Here many Italian citizens have acquired important financial positions which have positive
repercussions on the country's welfare.
As regards to education, even though the majority of people are content with primary education, Patrica is proud
to have among its male citizens, living or recently deceased, those who stand out for their achievements in fields such
as art, science, music and literature or for having reached the highest levels in State administrations.
Worthy of mentions are people such as:
Maestro Mons. Licino Refice, author of many liturgical songs and in the lyrical field the famous "Margherita da
Cortona" and "Cecilia".
Professor Riccardo Moretti, precursor of cordless telephones; he created, founded and directed for many years the
Institute Regina Elena of Rome.
General Simoni Simone, slaughtered at the Fosse Ardeatine.
The journalist Libero de Libero.
Patrica's latest glory in order of time is the famous General Erminio Bufalini whom, with his dialectal verses
describes Patrica with all its colors, its humor and its poetry.
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Important Buildings And Monuments |
The church of Saint John the Baptist, designed in a Romanic style, was built in 1700. Worthy of notice is the
central painting of the main altar representing "Christ's Baptism", it was painted by Della Piccola.
The palace of the counts Spezza, its garden is overlooked by a massive building which contains important historical
remains.
The small temple dedicated to the Madonna of Peace, it is a simple and linear construction designed by architect
Bernado Lucari in 1890, it contains beautiful frescoes by the painter Salvatori Nobili.
The City Hall, built in an imitation 1400's style.
A fountain set in the middle of the main square, built in memory of the astronomer P. Angelo Secchi, who was a
guest of Patrica in 1864 and was the first to channel water to the town from the springs of Mount Cacume.
The Monument to the dead war heroes.
On the eastern side of the Lepini mountains, along the southern part of the Apennines chain, over a calcareous
hill, 500 meters over sea-level, there is a town of 3000 inhabitants.
The town presents itself as quite characteristic. It is set on top of a hill with unevenly spread buildings,
rising one over the other, winding as if climbing up a mountain with their backs turned against each other.
Walking through the streets one can notice, on several buildings, entrance doors having acute angle rock arches,
in which the year of their construction is engraved (1500-1700).
Roofs over roofs, racks can be seen above the houses and houses can be seen above rocks, between stairways which
twist like the branches of a gigantic tree.
Eight kilometers away from the center of the town, in the area called Tomacella, is a great draw bridge on the
Sacco River, which is particularly spectacular in that spot.
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Historical Facts |
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Patrica's origins are not fully known. The Romans called it "Patricum", their presence is testified to by some
aquaduct ruins. Archeological digs, even recent ones, brought to the surface urns, coins, ancient walls used in Roman
times and remains of the numerous Patrican villas which could be found in the area below the town. Among these, it is
worth mentioning the villa of Plinio the young writer and illustrious statesman who died in 118 A.C.
Roman presence in this area may be attributed to the fact that since ancient times the Sacco valley was the biggest
communications route between Rome and the ports of Naples, Brindisi and "Patricum". Due to the amenity of the
locations, it was chosen as an obligatory stop for the long and strenuous trips of that period.
It is because of the presence of so many Patrician villas that according to tradition, the town got it's name:
Patricum-Patricia-Patrica.
Others who believe the old legend, say that the name derives from a certain Rotrudo Patrico, lord of the Tomacella,
ancestor of Gino Patricio that together with Pier Belardo of Mastino, lord of Fumonc, snatched two flags from the
Germans during the war against Barbarossa.
The first wars, especially the one between the Volshes and the Romans, forced those inhabitants to abandon the
fertile plains and move to the nearby mountain, which offered greater possibilities of defense.
The first village was built on a hill called "Lannio", as it is demonstrated by the ruins found in the area. It
was later invaded by the Barbarians.
There is, unfortunately, only one written document dating from the year 817. A document stating a gift of land
from Emperor Ludovico the Pius to Pope Paquale 1.
During the Middle Ages, it became a feudal estate of the counts of Ceccano. It then passed to the Santa Croce
family, to the Massimo and then to the Colonna family whose traces can still be found in the baronial castle and the
Rocca.
It was part of the Vatican until 1870.
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Geological Configuration |
The names given by the natives to some of the areas of the town are "Cacciatufi, lu Rutti and lu Ravi", give us an idea
of the type of land that the town is built on and of the volcanic explosion which shaped different levels of rock. The
town is built over layers of rock that extend to the cultivated land on half of the coast and partly on rock that
extend to the foot of the hill.
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Mount Cacume |
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Characteristic in its territory, Mount "Cacume" is mentioned by Dante in the Canto IV of Purgatory. "Mondazi in
Bismantova e iu Cacume". It derives its name from the Latin word "cacumen" (top, peak) and it is a perfect name
because of its pointy peak.
In 1903, in memory of the Giubileo proclaimed by Pope Leo XIII, a 14 meter high and 400 ton cross was erected on
the top of the mountain so that everybody, even in the remotest areas, could see, remember and honor the sign of our
redemption.
Amazing difficulties had to be overcome to transport it and to put it into place because of the roughness of the
mountain and the absolute lack of roads. Nowadays, the mountain is easily reachable thanks to its path. Furthermore,
the mountain can offer fresh, light water from it's 14 springs and also the possibility to find genuine milk and several
milk products prepared by local sheepherders and goat herders.
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Tourist Attraction |
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The fertile ground producing cereal and fruit, the copiousness and the lightness of the fresh waters, the pleasantness
of the chestnut and olive tree covered the hills. The temperate healthy climate, the cooking and genuine products,
tradition and the hospitality of the natives offer a nice vacation site for those people who, especially in the
summertime, want to enjoy peace and quietness away from the negative aspects of a big city.
Even though it does not have the appeal of the sea side, it does have the hill and the mountain appeal. Still
today, as it was at the time of the Roman Patricians, with the opening of the Autostrada del Sole highway, Patrica,
because of its geographical position, is again in between two important cities like Rome and Naples and will again be
chosen as a stop by passing tourists.
Patrica, with it's natural beauties will tempt the tourist into stopping, thinking that he's the first to have found
an enchanted town, where traditions left unchanged through time, other than making everything more genuine, make the
tone more colorful, making it more interesting. When the traveler will recommence his journey, his heart will be filled
with nostalgia and the words of the local poet, "describing the colours and images of Patrica will accompany him.
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