“A simple farmhouse once graced this very spot,” you might say, gesturing towards the elegant Villa Sora. This isn’t just any villa. Villa Sora sits on land steeped in history, whispering tales of ancient Roman roads and grand estates. Imagine, if you will, the echoes of chariot wheels rumbling along the old Roman Way, now the Via Tuscolana. This land was once part of the famed “Tusculano” of Lucius Licinius Lucullus, a man of great wealth and even greater appetites. Can you picture his lavish feasts and philosophical gatherings? But time, as it often does, shifted the tides of ownership. The land later belonged to the Villa of another prominent figure, Emperor of Rome, Saverio Sulpicio Galba. From Emperor to monks, the story takes us to the 16th century. The original farmhouse, known as “Torricella”, was built in the mid-1500s. It belonged to the monks of the “Sancta Sanctorum” chapel in Rome. However, by the latter half of the 16th century, the Moroni family from Milan had acquired the property. Their influence saw the humble farmhouse transformed, expanded, and ultimately graced by the presence of Pope Gregory XIII and Cardinal Carlo Borromeo in 1582. This visit etched itself into the villa’s history, earning it the moniker “Villa of the Pope.” Look closely, and you’ll still find the Boncompagni family coat of arms, a legacy of that papal visit. The story of Villa Sora takes another turn in the 17th century when it was purchased by Giacomo Boncompagni, Duke of Sora, and the son of Pope Gregory XIII. Today, Villa Sora serves as a Salesian school, a testament to the enduring power of knowledge and legacy.
Fontana delle Conchiglie
This unassuming fountain, the Fontana delle Conchiglie, holds a secret. It wasn’t always meant to stand alone. Built in 1938