Via Sacra di Monte Cavo

The Via Sacra of Monte Cavo is an ancient processional road leading through woodland toward the sanctuary of Iuppiter Latiaris on the summit. Parts of its basalt paving and peperino kerbs survive above the Colli Albani, alongside a terrace with views of Lakes Albano and Nemi.

Why it matters

The road dates to the seventh century BC and connected the Via Appia with the sanctuary on Monte Cavo. It served the Feriae Latinae, when communities of the Latin League gathered to honour Jupiter Latiaris. Its surviving paving offers a rare physical trace of a religious route that linked the communities of ancient Latium.

What to notice

In surviving stretches, the basalt paving is about 2.6 metres wide and is bordered by raised peperino kerbs known as crepidines. The terrace called the Occhialone offers a view of both volcanic lakes at once. A small shrine dedicated to Santa Rita stands on the ancient paving on the Genzano-side approach, a later devotional feature along the old route.

Context and history

The Via Sacra climbed from the twelfth milestone of the Via Appia, following the slopes above Lake Albano toward the summit sanctuary. The temple of Iuppiter Latiaris no longer survives, but the road and its paving preserve the mountain's importance as a religious centre. The annual Feriae Latinae continued under Roman leadership after Rome's expansion, maintaining the ritual significance of the summit.