Albano is found 400 meters above sea level in the Alban Hills in the province of Rome in Lazio with a population of approximately 33,000.
Its original name was Alba Longa and it was founded by the Trojan hero Ascanius. In Latin Alba means white and legend narrates that the name came to Ascanius in a dream where he dreamt of a white sow. In fact the symbol of Albano is that of a white sow.
Being near to Rome along the Via Appia road, the Ist century Roman emperor Domitian built a villa there. Two centuries later in 202 A.D.,the Roman emperor Settimius Severus built the Castra Albana, a military camp providing lodging for some 6,000 legion soldiers. The camp was fortified by massive walls measuring 435 by 232 meters which covered an area of 10 hectares. Circular towers on each of the four corners and quadrangular towers along th sides completed the structure. Ruins of these walls and towers can still be seen today.
Centuries later in the middle ages the town of Alba was abandoned but due to its important strategically location on Via Appia it was reborn again in the 12th century. It became the feudal domain of the royal Savelli family who lived there until 1697 until it became property of the papacy. It was during this time that many Roman buildings were converted into churches.
In the 18th century, Albano became popular for being a summer retreat for many wealthy noble Romans and its population began to increase rapidly. Today once can visit many monuments that are witness to Albano's long history.
Wether of Rome