| Alban Mount | |
|---|---|
| Monte Cavo | |
 Monte Cavo. | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 950 m (3,120 ft) |
| Prominence | 84 m (276 ft)  |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Location | East ofRome,Italy |
| Parent range | Colli Albani |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Pyroclastic cone |
Monte Cavo, or less often, "Monte Albano," is the second highest mountain of the complex of theAlban Hills, nearRome,Italy. An old volcano extinguished around 10,000 years ago, it lies about 20 km (12 mi) from the sea, in the territory of thecomune ofRocca di Papa. It is the dominant peak of the Alban Hills. The current name comes fromCabum, anItalic settlement existing on this mountain.
Volcanic activity under KingTullus Hostilius on the site was reported byLivy in his book of Roman history:[1] "...there had been a shower of stones on the Alban Mount...".
Monte Cavo is the sacredMons Albanus[1] of theItalic people of ancient Italy who lived inAlba Longa (theAlbani), and other cities, and therefore asacred mountain to the Romans; there they built the temple ofJove (Jupiter) Latiaris, one of the most important destinations of pilgrimage for all Latin people in the centuries of Roman domination.
On theMons Albanus, between January and March, the "Latin Festivals" were held. The newly chosen Consuls had to sacrifice to Jupiter Latiaris and to announce the Latin Holidays. When the Consul obtained a victory in war he also had to celebrate the triumph on the Alban Mount. Each year the temple hosted theFeriae Latinae,[2] which lasted for four days and were attended by the representatives of 47 cities (30 Latin and 17 Federate).
In 531 BC, KingTarquinius Superbus built here a temple shared with the Latins, theHernici and theVolsci, where every year celebrations in honor of Jupiter Latiaris were held. In return, Jupiter Latiaris conferred upon whoever was elected head of the Latin confederation, the power ofdictator latinus. A triumphal procession along this sacred way left the Appian Way atAriccia and climbed up 450 m to the hillside. More than 5 km of this way is well preserved through the woods.
In theEarly Middle Ages the temple ofIuppiter Latiaris was replaced by a hermitage devoted toSaint Peter, built by a Dalmatian hermit. It was visited byPope Pius II in 1463, and subsequently byPope Alexander VII. After the Dalmatian hermits the Polish religious order of Edmondo of Buisson was established there, then the Trinitarian Spaniards, and finally the Flemish Missionaries.
The hermitage was converted to a monastery in 1727. ThePassionists came in 1758 and restored it in 1783, using the materials of the temple of Jupiter, as found and raised byHenry Benedict Stuart, Duke of York,[1]bishop of Frascati.
During this period there were guests in the monastery: the kingFrancis II of Naples in 1865 andPope Pius IX in 1867. The "contemplative-missionaries" abandoned the monastery in 1889.
In 1890 the structure was converted to a hotel that entertained national and international personalities, among others:Umberto II of Italy,Massimo d'Azeglio,Luigi Pirandello,Armando Diaz (who sojourned inRocca di Papa and was remembered with a commemorative headstone mail in the residence on De Rossi palace) and the former KingEdward VIII with his wifeWallis Simpson.
From 1942 the hotel was used as military base for radio communications by the GermanWehrmacht. On June 3, 1944, soldiers of 142nd Regiment-36th Infantry Division (United States) ("Texas" Division), attacked and captured the military site[3]—with 20 enemy soldiers killed and 30 prisoners taken.
| International | |
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| Geographic | |
