Vicovaro

Vicovaro is an Italian municipality in the metropolitan city of Rome Capital in Lazio.

The human settlement within the current municipality of Vicovaro dates back to prehistoric times: in 1912, Neolithic - Final Bronze Age remains were found in the surroundings of the town. The contemporary town is located in the same locality as ancient Varia.

Its position on the great artery that led to the plain of Rome caused Varia to be repeatedly attacked by the Lombards who sacked it in 589 and 593. But it was the Saracens who in 877 made it impossible for the inhabitants to remain there.

The old location was then abandoned and only in the century. XII, once the invasions were over, a modest village once again formed on the crumbling ruins, which we find given the name of Vico Varie, from which Vicovaro.

In 1191 Celestine III donated Vicovaro to the Orsini, counts of Tagliacozzo and Albe, who fortified and enlarged it, making it the true wall of Rome.

In the Valde fortress castle of Vicovaro, Alexander VI had a conference in 1494 with Alfonso II of Aragon who saw himself threatened by the aims of Charles VIII; in 1503 Vicovaro resisted Valentino's attacks; but it was taken in 1556 by the Duke of Alba, viceroy of Naples, an ally of the Colonna against the pope, who recovered it in 1577.

In 1672 the dominion of the Orsini ended in Vicovaro and with it the military importance of the locality came to an end.

Lelio Orsini sold the land to Paolo and Ferdinando Bolognetti who were its last lords. Before the 18th century the town was called Vicus Varronis, Vicus Vari or Vicus Valerius.

Map: Vicovaro