Alban Mts. ARICCIA. Environs of Rome. 361
The path to the ancient Emissarius descends steeply from the Galleria
di Sopra a little before the village is reached, but the custodian must first
be summoned from the village (fee 1 fr.; for a party more in proportion).
The descent occupies nearly l/t hr., and the whole inspection about 1 hr.
The Emissarius, an imposing work, was constructed according to tradi¬
tion by the Romans in B.C. 397, during the siege of Veii, when the lake
rose to an unusual height, but it is probably of still more remote origin.
It is hewn in the solid rock. At the entrance is a large stone building
resembling a nympha:um. The channel is 7-10 ft. in height, and issues
3/4 M. below Albano by the village of La Mola, where the water is used
as a motive power for mills, descending thence to the Tiber. The custo¬
dian floats lighted pieces of candle on boards down the stream, in order
to give visitors an idea of its length (about, 1300 yds.).
From Albano to Palazzuola by the road turning to the right by
the Capuchin monastery and passing above the lake, 1 hr.; thence
to the top of Monte Cavo, 1 hr. more (comp. p. 351).
About 3/4 M. to the S.E. of Albano lies Ariccia. The road
passes the Etruscan tomb mentioned above. It then crosses the
imposing * Viaduct, erected by Pius IX. in 1846-63, 334 yds. in
length, and 192 ft. in height, consisting of three series of arcades
of six, twelve, and eighteen arches respectively, one above the
other, which crosses the valley separating Albano from Ariccia. To
the right, a view of the extensive plain as far as the sea, to the left,
of the *Park of the Palazzo Chigi, built by Bernini, and situated
immediately to the left beyond the viaduct. This park, containing
fine old timber, is kept in as natural a condition as possible. Per¬
mission to visit it should be obtained from the porter or gardener in
the palace (fee i/2-l fr.).
Ariccia (Cafe in the piazza), an insignificant place, frequently
attracts visitors in summer on account of the proximity of the
woods. The women of Ariccia and Genzano are famed for their
beauty. The ancient Aricia, which belonged to the Latin League, lay
towards the S., in the Valle Aricciana (981 ft.), an extinct crater
below the modern town , while the latter occupies the site of the
ancient Arx or citadel. According to Horace (Sat. i. 5) this was the
first station on the Via Appia, which runs towards Genzano on mas¬
sive, still visible substructions, at the foot of the modern town.
(A circuit of '/2 nr- by tDe valley, instead of the direct route from
Albano to Ariccia, is interesting.) In the middle ages Ariccia came
into the possession of the Savelli, and in 1661 was purchased by
the Chigi, who are still the proprietors of the place.
The beautiful and shady new road from Ariccia to Genzano at
first leads a little to the left and crosses four viaducts, which com¬
mand a fine view. After V2 M• ^ passes Galloro, formerly a Jesuit
church. At the 17th milestone, about 3/4 M. farther, the road di¬
vides ; the branch to the left descends to a Capuchin monastery and
to the Lake of Nemi (below is a partly ancient road to Nemi); that
in the middle leads through an avenue to the Palazzo Cesarini (see
below); and that to the right descends to the town.
Genzano, a town with 5000 inhab., loftily situated above the
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