A Jacobite Gazetteer - Lazio

Facade

The town of Lanuvio is located about 30 kilometres southeast of Rome.

At the centre of the town is the main square, Piazza Carlo Fontana. From here Via Marianna Dionigi leads out of the northern end of the piazza and up the hill. Villa Frediani-Dionigi is on the right at no. 26, about 300 yards from Piazza Carlo Fontana. It stands behind a lovely wall and arched gateway and has a magnificent view of the plain below.

King James III and VIII and Queen Clementina stayed in this villa, November 2, 1723. In a place of prominence high up at the centre of the villa's facade is an inscription which records the visit:

IACOBO · III · ET · CLEMENTINAE ·
REGI · REGINAEQVE · BRITANNORVM ·
OPTIMIS · PIISSIMISQVE · PRINCIPIBVS ·
QVOD · AB · ALBANA · RVSTICATIONE · DIVERTENTES ·
DOMVM · HANC ·
PER · DIEM · FERE · INTEGRAM · QVAR · NON · NOV ·
IN · REGIAE · MAIESTATIS · HOSPITIVM ·
CONSTITVERINT ·
CAROLVS · BONELLVS ·
NICOLAVS · ET · FRANCISCVS · MANGANONI ·
EX · SORORE · NEPOTES ·
OBSEQVENTISSIMI · ANIMI · MONVMENTVM ·
FACIVNDVM · CVRARVNT ·
ANNO M · D · CCXXIII ·

Inscription

In the mid-1970's the villa was in a state of abandonment, but today (2002) it is beautifully maintained by the owner Signora Pala Da Cosimo.

Lanuvio is easily reached from Rome by the train which goes to Velletri; there is a bus which takes train passengers up the long steep hill to the town centre. There are also buses which pass through Piazza Carlo Fontana and go to Genzano or Velletri.