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Arpino, in the province of Frosinone on the left side of the middle valley of the Liri river, is an open-air museum of prehistory and history.
Starting from the town centre, we find the Acropolis of Civita Vecchia (Civita Vetus) dating back to the 8th/12th century B.C., a very important archaeological site for megalithic architecture in Lazio region.
The cyclopean wall in polygonal work is one of the best preserved from pre-Roman times, probably the site of the first settlement of the Volscian people. Between them is the only surviving pointed arch in the entire Mediterranean area; a typical corbelled arch that outlines a ‘scea’ door.
A fundamental element of this area that aroused the interest of the most important archaeologist of the 19th century, the German Heinrich Schliemann , discoverer of Troy. Dating back to Roman times, however, is the recently restored stretch of paved paving visible in Piazza Municipio, formerly the Roman Forum.
Remaining in the atmosphere of Ancient Rome, let us mention three prestigious harpins: Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Gaius Marius, several times consuls of the Roman Republic, and Marco Tullio Cicerone.
Lawyer, politician, orator and Roman philosopher; one of the most relevant figures of Roman antiquity and author of texts still widely translated in classical high schools.
Non è sua, anche se ne porta il nome, la medievale Torre di Cicerone nella zona dove per alcuni esperti sorgeva la sua villa. Le chiese del ‘500/‘600 ci avvicinano all’epoca moderna passando per la figura del Cavalier d’Arpino, Giuseppe Cesari, celebre pittore molto attivo in Vaticano.
Artista quindi di fama mondiale come più recentemente Umberto Mastroianni (1910-1998) la cui fondazione è ospitata nel Castello Ladislao, Centro Internazionale di Arti Visive.
A number of wool manufactures have a long tradition, as do agricultural products (especially oil, wine and fruit). The widespread landscape of majestic oak forests is also home to yellow and white marble quarries mottled with red. The surrounding area is rich in many varieties of flora and fauna that can be appreciated in trails and ‘Wilderness areas’ equipped for nature lovers.
Like any self-respecting visit, after the historical culture, it is necessary to talk about the food and wine culture. The typical cuisine is certainly another strong point of Arpino; ‘sagne’ and beans in white or with sauce are the must-try dish. The soup with ‘pane sotto’ (bread underneath) and ‘fini fini’ (fine fine) with tomato sauce are also noteworthy.
Local meats, cheeses and traditional desserts are also highly appreciated. Arpino certainly learnt the lesson of Cicero’s oration ‘Cicero pro domo sua’ (‘for his own home’) evocative of knowing how to manage one’s own affairs.
