Territory

The Way of Saint Benedict is "a key" for discovering that territory of lower Lazio which is common to the southern part of the current provinces of Frosinone and Latina.

Saint Benedict arrived in this territory in 529 and on the hill that overlooks the lower Liri valley he built the Abbey of Montecassino and here he wrote the Rule “Ora et Labora.” No matter how you arrive here, you cannot help but experience the same joy and wonder for what you will see with your own eyes and what you will feel inside.

The Territory that he discovered, which welcomed him until his death in March 547, is certainly captivating, both for its shape and for its history. You can discover it by following the paths that cross it, some of which have become Ways or even European Cultural Itineraries.

The areas where you can read and experience history directly by visiting the places are all concentrated before your eyes. The historical phases that have crossed them are at least six:

1. Prehistory, during which dinosaurs lived in this territory. You will find traces on the rocks and their history in the museums,
2. The history of the Italic Peoples when the Volsci, Aurunci, and Samnites alternated in this territory, but Etruscans also passed through. You will find their history in the museums you will visit,
3. The history of the Romans, who, after defeating the Samnites, settled over the entire territorial band that extends from Montecassino to the Islands of Ventotene and Ponza. You will find archaeological areas and museums everywhere and you can tread the white slabs of the ancient Roman roads, sit in the amphitheaters, and attend summer shows there,
4. The history of the Lombards and the Benedictine Monks who coexisted during the medieval period and cooperated in the process of fortification that still shapes the existing municipalities today. You can visit the remaining castles, but you will also enjoy the ruins and arches of the ancient houses,
5. The history of World War II, which here shook the face of the earth and left military cemeteries of the peoples who fought along the Gustav Line, now included in what is called “the Great Path of Memory.” You will be able to visit the Polish Cemetery, the German one, and the Commonwealth Cemetery, as well as the nearby French and Italian or English ones,
6. The recent history of the industrialization of the territory, thanks to the establishment of Fiat and its related industries, paper mills, and the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio (UNICAS). Here you can participate in the International Fair of Ergonomics for Pathways, which will be held from October 2024 in honor of Saint Benedict, who was named Patron of Europe by Pope Paul VI on October 24, 1964.