Alban Hills. The Alban Hills are the caldera remains of a quiescent volcanic complex in Italy, located 20 km southeast of Rome and about 24 km north of Anzio.
The 950 m high Monte Cavo forms a highly visible peak the centre of the caldera, but the highest point is Maschio delle Faete approximately 2 km to the east of Cavo and 6 m taller. There are subsidiary calderas along the rim of the Alban Hills that contain the lakes Albano and Nemi.
The hills are composed of peperino, a variety of tuff that is useful for construction and provides a mineral-rich substrate for nearby vineyards. The hills, especially around the shores of the lakes, have been popular since prehistoric times.
From the 9th to 7th century BC, there were numerous villages. The area was inhabited by the Latini during the 5th to 3rd centuries BC. The ancient Romans called the hill Albanus Mons.
On the summit was the sanctuary of Jupiter Latiaris, in which the consuls celebrated the Feriae Latinae, and several generals celebrated victories here during times when they were not accorded regular triumphs in Rome. The foundations and some of the architectural fragments of the temple were still in existence until 1777, when they were used to build the Passionist monastery by Cardinal York, but the Via Triumphalis leading up to it can still be seen. In Roman times, the area was often used by the rich as a way to escape the heat and cr
The 950 m high Monte Cavo forms a highly visible peak the centre of the caldera, but the highest point is Maschio delle Faete approximately 2 km to the east of Cavo and 6 m taller. There are subsidiary calderas along the rim of the Alban Hills that contain the lakes Albano and Nemi.
The hills are composed of peperino, a variety of tuff that is useful for construction and provides a mineral-rich substrate for nearby vineyards. The hills, especially around the shores of the lakes, have been popular since prehistoric times.
From the 9th to 7th century BC, there were numerous villages. The area was inhabited by the Latini during the 5th to 3rd centuries BC. The ancient Romans called the hill Albanus Mons.
On the summit was the sanctuary of Jupiter Latiaris, in which the consuls celebrated the Feriae Latinae, and several generals celebrated victories here during times when they were not accorded regular triumphs in Rome. The foundations and some of the architectural fragments of the temple were still in existence until 1777, when they were used to build the Passionist monastery by Cardinal York, but the Via Triumphalis leading up to it can still be seen. In Roman times, the area was often used by the rich as a way to escape the heat and cr
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