498 Envir. of Róme. CORI.
6. Volscian Mts.
26 M. Velletri (1155 ft.; Rail. Restaurant; Loc. del Gallo,
Via Vittorio Emanuele, with trattoria, R. iy4 fr., well spoken of),
the ancient Velitrae, a town of the Volscians, which became sub¬
ject to Rome in 338 B.C., was the home of the Octavian family to
which Augustus belonged. The town (18,734 inhab.), the seat of
the bishop of Ostia (see p. 490), famous for its wine, lies pictur¬
esquely on a spur of the Monte Artemisio, 1/i M. from the station.
The Palazzo Lancellotti, now Pai. Avellino, built by Martino
Lunghi the Elder in the piazza, has a fine baroque staircase; the
loggia commands an extensive view. A similar view is obtained
from the Palazzo Municipale. The cathedral of San Clemente
contains a Madonna painted by Antoniazzo Romano; the crypt,
with its antique columns, is curious. In 1883 a column of victory
was erected in the new cemetery, where Garibaldi successfully en-
countered the Neapolitan troops on May 19th, 1849.
Velletri is the starting-point for the ascent of the Monte Algido or
Maschio d'Ariano (2925 ft. ; 3-4 hrs. with guide, or a little less from the
station of Ontanese, see below), a summit rising from the margin of the
crateriform circular rampart formed by the S.E. Alban Mts. On the
summit of Monte Algido (extensive view) are the remains of ancient
fortifìcations (Algidium) and of a mediaeval fort constructed about 1100
and belonging to the Colonnas (Castello Lariano). The descent may be
made to (2*/2 hrs.) Nemi.
Fkom Velletri to Seghi, 15 M., railway (fares 2 fr. 80, 1 fr. 95,
1 fr. 30 e). — The line turns to the N.E. and at (5 M.) Ontanese inter-
seets the depression between the Alban and the Volscian Mts. — 10 M.
Artena; the village lies l'/4 M. to the S., on the slope of the Volscian
Mts. We now descend the^valley of the Sacco to (15 M.) the station of
Segni-Paliano (p. 496).
The railway beyond Velletri traverses a dreary plain. — 33 M.
Giulianello-Rocca Massima, the station for the humble village of
Giulianello to the right and for (&1/2 M.) Rocca Massima in the
Volscian Mts. to the left. The line now runs along the W. slope
of the Volscian Mts.
361/2 M. Cori. — The Station (500 ft.) is 2 M. below the town
(diligence 50 e). — Albergo dell' Unione, in the Piazza, R. IV4 fr-,
comparatively good. — Guide, to save time, V2"1 fr- — Two Horses to
Norma and Ninfa, with mounted guide, about 12 fr.
Cori (1300 ft.) is the ancient Cora, which claimed to have been
founded by the Trojan Dardanos or by Coras and was at an early
period a member of the Latin League. Even in antiquity it con-
sisted of an upper and a lower town. The remains of the ancient
walls, constructed of huge polygonal blocks, are stili considerable.
During the empire it stili prospered, but its name afterwards fell
into oblivion. In the early part of the middle ages it seems to
have been wholly deserted, but in the 13th cent, it was rebuilt by
the counts of Segni and fortifìed with a wall, the greater part of
which is stili extant. Pop. 7118. Tobacco is largely cultivated in
the neighbourhood.
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