Medieval and Baroque Urban Planning in Lazio's Hill Towns

The medieval hill towns of Lazio, such as Cori, Alatri, Terracina, and Tivoli, are notable for the visible integration of ancient ruins within later structures. More distinctive, however, is the widespread planned urban renewal undertaken during the Early Modern period by ambitious feudal lords. These interventions, often linked to the construction or renovation of manor houses, resulted in the complete reorganization of existing towns or the addition of new quarters. Consequently, many towns feature a juxtaposition of winding medieval streets and rectilinear avenues with spacious squares and calculated perspectives, forming micro-urban experiments that parallel the scenic solutions of Rome. Architects who shaped Rome also worked on these projects: Gian Lorenzo Bernini redesigned Ariccia for the Chigi family and, at Monterano, planned the town's layout for the Altieri family, now a picturesque Baroque ruin. Francesco Borromini contributed to the transformation of San Martino al Cimino (Viterbo) for Olimpia Maidalchini, where uniform houses for new inhabitants foreshadowed modern public housing. Less-known examples include Filacciano and San Gregorio da Sassola, where the 17th-century Borgo Pio features a large, unfinished oval square. The article, by Fabrizio Federici, appears in Artribune Magazine #29.