Capena
Encyclopedia
Capena is a town and comune
in the province of Rome
, Lazio region (central Italy
). The town has borrowed its modern name from a pre-Roman and Roman settlement that was located three kilometres to its north.
area adjacent (and culturally allied) to Etruria
. It is frequently mentioned alongside of Veii
, Falerii
and Lucus Feroniae
.
Ancient Capena seems to have been ruthlessly sacked by the Romans sometime around 390 BC, following a long campaign of resistance by the Capenates to the ever-growing influence of Rome in the area. The settlement continued to exist until the collapse of the Western Roman Empire
, after which all traces of it were lost. It was not until the pioneering work of Pierluigi Galletti in the mid-18th century that Capena’s former location was decisively identified. Even then, it took more than a hundred years for other historians to reach a consensus that Galletti had been correct.
Recent archaeological studies have revealed that ancient Capena may have retained a vibrant urban life and some degree of regional significance for longer than had previously been believed.
monastery of Saint Paul – now usually referred to as the Palazzo dei Monaci (Palace of the Monks) – was established on the tuff
outcrop known as ‘la Rocca’ (the Rock).
The main frontage of the palazzo faces the Piazza del Popolo, the largest public space in Capena. Originally simply called the ‘Piazza’, the square was laid out in the 16th century, when its extant clock tower was erected on the north side. The surviving monastery complex dates primarily from the Renaissance
era, with extensive modifications in 1851.
Despite occasional popular uprisings, the entire village remained under monastic jurisdiction until the fall of the Papal States
in 1870, when Leprignano (now Capena) broke away and became an independent municipality.
The palazzo continued to be occupied by monks until the end of the 19th century. The former monastery was subsequently used for municipal purposes and as a school until 1930, and was later subdivided and sold to individuals.
Capena’s population has grown rapidly in recent years, as a result of new residential developments on its outskirts. However, the centro storico (the old quarter in the west of the built-up area) has remained little changed in many decades, as can be observed from a comparison between contemporary images and the scenes filmed around the Fontana di Porta Nuova in the 1952 movie Totò a colori
. and more widely around Capena in the following year’s musical film Saluti e Baci.
. The old quarter stands on a hill overlooking the valley of the Fosso di Morlupo to the west, while the modern district extends into the eastern plain.
The neighbouring towns are Castelnuovo di Porto
, Civitella San Paolo
, Fiano Romano
, Monterotondo
, Morlupo
and Rignano Flaminio
.
Class-A road with Capena.
The town is home to a small community of artists, notably Rosina Wachtmeister
, who has frequently depicted the old quarter – and particularly its cats – in her work. Wachtmeister’s daughter Gabila is also a resident artist and her grandson Battista is a ceramicist who has recently led a project to install mosaic benches and sculptures at various locations around the old quarter.
The Art Forum Würth
Capena opened in 2006, on the Via della Buona Fortuna, which runs parallel with the E35 near the eastern end of the Via Provinciale Capena Bivio.
Various local specialities are traditionally prepared for some of the feasts listed in the Events section below, including serpentone, pangiallo, lepericchio and sposatella.
The locally produced bianco Capena (denominazione di origine controllata
) is a "slightly bitter wine that is straw yellow with a lightly fruity aroma." It is made with grapes from the Malvasia del Lazio, Trebbiano Toscano, Bellone
and Bombino vines.
The feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot
, on the Sunday after 17 January, which consists of a procession in the saint’s honour, the blessing of animals and much smoking by residents of all ages, formerly of dried rosemary in pipes but nowadays of cigarettes, although attempts have been made to discourage this practice. On the eve of this festival local children carry the altar of Saint Anthony from house to house, singing a traditional refrain and collecting donations.
The Procession of the Dead Christ, on Good Friday
, with participants wearing traditional black surplices and hoods and carrying the symbols of the Passion
on silver plates in a procession.
The feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist
, on 25 April, at which the children of Capena traditionally receive their first communion. At the end of the religious ceremony, the participants proceed from the parish church to the little church dedicated to San Marco some distance from the village. The priest blesses the fields in the sacristy of the chapel, and also some special sweets made for the occasion known as lepericchio and sposatella.
The festival of Our Lady of the Assumption
(Santa Maria Assunta), which takes place on 13–15 August and is Capena’s main annual event. The celebration takes a different form in Capena from that observed in most parts of Italy as it is based on a symbolic re-enactment of the story that Mary lost her Son and searched for him for three days before the pair were emotionally reunited.
The feast of Saint Michael the Archangel
, on 29 September, which had its origins in the celebration of farming and agricultural trade, and as a market for livestock.
Harvest festival, on the first Sunday of October, which in Capena primarily celebrates the grape harvest (vendemmia) and is accompanied by parades, floats, sideshows, carnival rides and vinous carousing.
Luke the Evangelist
, Capena’s patron saint, is honoured on 18 October with the administration of the sacrament of confirmation and a solemn procession with the participation of the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament. The feast of Saint Luke has been held here since the early 18th century.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
in the province of Rome
Province of Rome
The Province of Rome , is a province in the Lazio region of Italy. The province can be viewed as the extended metropolitan area of the city of Rome, although in its more peripheral portions, especially to the north, it comprises towns surrounded by rural landscape.-Geography:The Province of Rome...
, Lazio region (central Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
). The town has borrowed its modern name from a pre-Roman and Roman settlement that was located three kilometres to its north.
Ancient Capena
The original Capena occupied the plateau of a nowadays uninhabited hill called La Civitucola. Its territory was known in ancient times as the Ager Capenas, which was a FaliscanFaliscan
Faliscan may refer to:*Falisci, an ancient Italian people group*Faliscan language...
area adjacent (and culturally allied) to Etruria
Etruria
Etruria—usually referred to in Greek and Latin source texts as Tyrrhenia—was a region of Central Italy, an area that covered part of what now are Tuscany, Latium, Emilia-Romagna, and Umbria. A particularly noteworthy work dealing with Etruscan locations is D. H...
. It is frequently mentioned alongside of Veii
Veii
Veii was, in ancient times, an important Etrurian city NNW of Rome, Italy; its site lies in Isola Farnese, a village of Municipio XX, an administrative subdivision of the comune of Rome in the Province of Rome...
, Falerii
Falerii
Falerii was one of the twelve chief cities of Etruria, situated about 1.5 km west of the ancient Via Flaminia, around 50 kilometers north of Rome.- History :According to legend, it was of Argive origin...
and Lucus Feroniae
Lucus Feroniae
Lucus Feroniae was an ancient sacred grove dedicated to the Sabine goddess Feronia. It was located in Etruria, across the ancient Via Tiberina, in what is now the territory of the modern commune of Capena, Lazio, next to the border with the neighbouring commune of Fiano Romano.It was visited both...
.
Ancient Capena seems to have been ruthlessly sacked by the Romans sometime around 390 BC, following a long campaign of resistance by the Capenates to the ever-growing influence of Rome in the area. The settlement continued to exist until the collapse of the Western Roman Empire
Western Roman Empire
The Western Roman Empire was the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 285; the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly referred to today as the Byzantine Empire....
, after which all traces of it were lost. It was not until the pioneering work of Pierluigi Galletti in the mid-18th century that Capena’s former location was decisively identified. Even then, it took more than a hundred years for other historians to reach a consensus that Galletti had been correct.
Recent archaeological studies have revealed that ancient Capena may have retained a vibrant urban life and some degree of regional significance for longer than had previously been believed.
Medieval and modern Capena
The site of present-day Capena has been inhabited intermittently since prehistoric times and archaeological finds dating from the seventh century BC indicate that the inhabitants used a distinctive alphabet (now called the Capena-Leprignano alphabet by philologists) for inscriptions written in the Faliscan language.. Continuous habitation began in the 11th century AD, when the BenedictineBenedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monastery of Saint Paul – now usually referred to as the Palazzo dei Monaci (Palace of the Monks) – was established on the tuff
Tuff
Tuff is a type of rock consisting of consolidated volcanic ash ejected from vents during a volcanic eruption. Tuff is sometimes called tufa, particularly when used as construction material, although tufa also refers to a quite different rock. Rock that contains greater than 50% tuff is considered...
outcrop known as ‘la Rocca’ (the Rock).
The main frontage of the palazzo faces the Piazza del Popolo, the largest public space in Capena. Originally simply called the ‘Piazza’, the square was laid out in the 16th century, when its extant clock tower was erected on the north side. The surviving monastery complex dates primarily from the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
era, with extensive modifications in 1851.
Despite occasional popular uprisings, the entire village remained under monastic jurisdiction until the fall of the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
in 1870, when Leprignano (now Capena) broke away and became an independent municipality.
The palazzo continued to be occupied by monks until the end of the 19th century. The former monastery was subsequently used for municipal purposes and as a school until 1930, and was later subdivided and sold to individuals.
Capena’s population has grown rapidly in recent years, as a result of new residential developments on its outskirts. However, the centro storico (the old quarter in the west of the built-up area) has remained little changed in many decades, as can be observed from a comparison between contemporary images and the scenes filmed around the Fontana di Porta Nuova in the 1952 movie Totò a colori
Totò a colori
Totò a colori is a 1952 Italian film, and was the first Italian color film shot with the Ferraniacolor system. The film was directed by Steno and starred the comic actor Totò . Totò a colori is widely regarded as Totò's masterpiece...
. and more widely around Capena in the following year’s musical film Saluti e Baci.
Geography
Capena is located 26.2km north of Rome (as the crow flies), above the valley of the TiberTiber
The Tiber is the third-longest river in Italy, rising in the Apennine Mountains in Emilia-Romagna and flowing through Umbria and Lazio to the Tyrrhenian Sea. It drains a basin estimated at...
. The old quarter stands on a hill overlooking the valley of the Fosso di Morlupo to the west, while the modern district extends into the eastern plain.
The neighbouring towns are Castelnuovo di Porto
Castelnuovo di Porto
Castelnuovo di Porto is a comune in the Province of Rome in the Italian region Latium, located about 25 km north of Rome....
, Civitella San Paolo
Civitella San Paolo
Civitella San Paolo is a comune in the Province of Rome in the Italian region of Lazio, located about 35 km north of Rome....
, Fiano Romano
Fiano Romano
Fiano Romano is a town and comune in the province of Rome, Italy, approximately 40 kilometers north that city. It is the birthplace of the Italian actress Sabrina Ferilli....
, Monterotondo
Monterotondo
-History:According to some historians, Monterotondo is the heir of ancient Sabine town of Eretum, although the modern settlement appeared in the 10th-11th centuries in a different location...
, Morlupo
Morlupo
Morlupo is a comune in the Province of Rome in the Italian region Latium, located about 30 km north of Rome. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 7,230 and an area of 23.9 km²....
and Rignano Flaminio
Rignano Flaminio
Rignano Flaminio is a comune in the Province of Rome in the Italian region Latium, located about 35 km north of Rome. As of 2007, it had a population of 8,544...
.
Main sights
- former Palazzo dei Monaci (Palace of the Monks)
- medieval Clock Tower, remodelled in the 18th century
- Church of San Leone, which dates from the LombardLombardsThe Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
era - Lucus FeroniaeLucus FeroniaeLucus Feroniae was an ancient sacred grove dedicated to the Sabine goddess Feronia. It was located in Etruria, across the ancient Via Tiberina, in what is now the territory of the modern commune of Capena, Lazio, next to the border with the neighbouring commune of Fiano Romano.It was visited both...
archaeological site
Transport
The closest practicable motorway and rail links with Rome lie around five and eight kilometres to the east, respectively, on opposites sides of the Tiber. Via Provinciale Capena Bivio (SP17a) connects the E35European route E35
European route E 35 is a European route that runs from Amsterdam, Netherlands, in northwestern Europe, to Rome, Italy in the south of the continent...
Class-A road with Capena.
Art
The Lazio region has proclaimed Capena a città d'arte in recognition of its history and its many archaeological finds (most of which are now scattered to museums near and far).The town is home to a small community of artists, notably Rosina Wachtmeister
Rosina Wachtmeister
Rosina Wachtmeister is an Austrian artist, maker of, for instance, cat sculptures and portraits. Her Das Lied von der Liebe is a book whose graphics illustrate the biblical Song of Songs....
, who has frequently depicted the old quarter – and particularly its cats – in her work. Wachtmeister’s daughter Gabila is also a resident artist and her grandson Battista is a ceramicist who has recently led a project to install mosaic benches and sculptures at various locations around the old quarter.
The Art Forum Würth
Würth
The Würth Group is a worldwide wholesaler of fasteners, screws and screw accessories, dowels, chemicals, furniture and construction fittings, tools, machines, installation material, automotive hardware, inventory management, storage and retrieval systems. Würth was founded in 1945 by Adolf Würth...
Capena opened in 2006, on the Via della Buona Fortuna, which runs parallel with the E35 near the eastern end of the Via Provinciale Capena Bivio.
Cuisine
Capena has a large number of restaurants for a town of its size, both in the centre and on the outskirts. Pizza is the most commonly served dish but a few of the establishments specialise in the cuisines of other parts of Italy, such as Sardinia.Various local specialities are traditionally prepared for some of the feasts listed in the Events section below, including serpentone, pangiallo, lepericchio and sposatella.
The locally produced bianco Capena (denominazione di origine controllata
Denominazione di Origine Controllata
Denominazione di origine controllata is a quality assurance label for food products, especially wines and various formaggi . It is modelled after the French AOC...
) is a "slightly bitter wine that is straw yellow with a lightly fruity aroma." It is made with grapes from the Malvasia del Lazio, Trebbiano Toscano, Bellone
Bellone
Bellone is a red Italian wine grape variety that wine historians believed was cultivated in Roman times. A white skin clone also exist. By 1990, nearly 3,000 hectares/7,400 acres of the variety was still being cultivated and eligible to be blended in the wines of several Latium Denominazione di...
and Bombino vines.
Events
All the main recurring events in Capena are ostensibly Roman Catholic religious celebrations. They include the following:The feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot
Anthony the Great
Anthony the Great or Antony the Great , , also known as Saint Anthony, Anthony the Abbot, Anthony of Egypt, Anthony of the Desert, Anthony the Anchorite, Abba Antonius , and Father of All Monks, was a Christian saint from Egypt, a prominent leader among the Desert Fathers...
, on the Sunday after 17 January, which consists of a procession in the saint’s honour, the blessing of animals and much smoking by residents of all ages, formerly of dried rosemary in pipes but nowadays of cigarettes, although attempts have been made to discourage this practice. On the eve of this festival local children carry the altar of Saint Anthony from house to house, singing a traditional refrain and collecting donations.
The Procession of the Dead Christ, on Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
, with participants wearing traditional black surplices and hoods and carrying the symbols of the Passion
Passion (Christianity)
The Passion is the Christian theological term used for the events and suffering – physical, spiritual, and mental – of Jesus in the hours before and including his trial and execution by crucifixion...
on silver plates in a procession.
The feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist
Mark the Evangelist
Mark the Evangelist is the traditional author of the Gospel of Mark. He is one of the Seventy Disciples of Christ, and the founder of the Church of Alexandria, one of the original four main sees of Christianity....
, on 25 April, at which the children of Capena traditionally receive their first communion. At the end of the religious ceremony, the participants proceed from the parish church to the little church dedicated to San Marco some distance from the village. The priest blesses the fields in the sacristy of the chapel, and also some special sweets made for the occasion known as lepericchio and sposatella.
The festival of Our Lady of the Assumption
Assumption of Mary
According to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...
(Santa Maria Assunta), which takes place on 13–15 August and is Capena’s main annual event. The celebration takes a different form in Capena from that observed in most parts of Italy as it is based on a symbolic re-enactment of the story that Mary lost her Son and searched for him for three days before the pair were emotionally reunited.
The feast of Saint Michael the Archangel
Michael (archangel)
Michael , Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; , Mikhaḗl; or Míchaël; , Mīkhā'īl) is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans refer to him as Saint Michael the Archangel and also simply as Saint Michael...
, on 29 September, which had its origins in the celebration of farming and agricultural trade, and as a market for livestock.
Harvest festival, on the first Sunday of October, which in Capena primarily celebrates the grape harvest (vendemmia) and is accompanied by parades, floats, sideshows, carnival rides and vinous carousing.
Luke the Evangelist
Luke the Evangelist
Luke the Evangelist was an Early Christian writer whom Church Fathers such as Jerome and Eusebius said was the author of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles...
, Capena’s patron saint, is honoured on 18 October with the administration of the sacrament of confirmation and a solemn procession with the participation of the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament. The feast of Saint Luke has been held here since the early 18th century.