PYRGI AND THE CASTLE OF SANTA SEVERA

The Civic Museum is in the small village of the castle situated in the area of ancient Pyrgi. The main historical events of this interesting area are told in a book written by F. Enei, Il Castello di Santa Severa, Guida al Monumento, S. Marinella 2001.

The Origin

From remote times this part of the Tyrrhenian coast was suitable for inhabitants to live on, and so especially in the Classic Era the Etruscan, Roman and later Medieval colony of Pyrgi was formed which also included the Castle of Santa Severa. Archaeological findings show the presence of settlements from the Neolithic period and the Bronze Age in the exact area where later on the Etruscan sanctuary was built. Findings in obsidian, discovered on and immediately behind the Pyrgense beach prove that from prehistory, there was some sort of communication and trade between the inhabitants along the coast of Pyrgi and other parts of the Mediterranean Sea. The prehistoric settlement is dated between IV and II millennium B.C.

The Etruscan Phase

A fixed landing point was already present in the VII century B.C. probably due to the favourable natural conditions and the already founded prehistoric settlement. An Era when the Etruscan city Caere, along with other coastal cities controlled nearly all of the Tyrrhenian Sea. In the Archaic Period, Pyrgi was certainly one of the most important Ceriti ports open to the Mediterranean traffic and in particular to the Greek and Phoenician navigators and traders. The Etruscan settlement developed around the port for about 10 hectares right up to the sanctuary. The excavations of the sanctuary which started in 1957, shows the general topography of the area. There are at least two richly decorated temples A and B, a sacred area called Sacred C and a long rectangular building divided into small cells. From these excavations 3 famous golden plaques were found, two written in Etruscan and one in Phoenician. Also an important High Relief was found which describes the mythological story of the Seven against Theban.

The Roman Phase

Once the Romans took over the Ceritan coast in the beginning of the III century B.C., the maritime colonies were made smaller and Pyrgi became one of the more important ones. It became a fortified, rectangular shaped city and was erected on a part of the Etruscan city. Huge polygonal walls were built around the city with a door half way down each side. The fortress controlled the coast, port and it's trade. Large parts of the fortified wall may still be seen, parts of the fourth side that faces the sea may be seen under the foundations of the castle in the basement of the Legnaia . Even though Pyrgi the city was definitely abandoned the II century B.C., the port it-self was still important and used as a naval base for the whole of the Roman Republican Era. It was the centre for maritime transport and held an important fishing fleet. In the Imperial Era it probably became an important estate and was still used at least to the end of the late antique era, V - VI century A.D.

The Medieval Phase

As there was already the ancient Roman colony, in the high medieval period (VII-VIII century A.D.) the Castellum Sanctae Severae was built. Around the Saracene Tower ( IX century ) built to control the port and along the coast, during the whole Medieval period the castle and the small village were constructed. There were at least two churches, one dedicated to Santa Severa and Santa Lucia with frescoes done in the beginning of the XVI century probably by the school of Antoniazzo Romano and interesting votive graffito depicting 25 ships. The other church ( 1594 ) is dedicated to Assunta and was restored in 1700 using architectural and sculptured pieces from the Roman Era. The first historical statement regarding the Castle of Santa Severa is in 1068, when the Norman, Gerardo Earl of Galeria presented it to the monks of the Abbey of Farfa. Afterwards the castle belonged to the monks of St. Paul and then several noble families such as the Tiniosi and the Bonaventura-Venturini. In 1482 Pope Sisto IV gave the fortress to the Pio Institute of Santo Spirito which for five centuries (1482 - 1980) used it as a hospital and a huge farm. It was visited by many Popes for all of the Renaissance period and for several centuries after.

Today

The Castle of Santa Severa was opened to the public for the Jubilee year in 2000 and is now being restored with financial help from the Lazio Region, The province of Rome and the Santa Marinella Council. Once finished it will be used as an international congress centre, there will be the National Pyrgi Museum and other cultural and touristic centres.