Monte Cavo

Monte Cavo is the sacred Mons Albanus which lasted for four days and were attended by the representatives of 47 cities (30 Latin and 17 Federate). In 531 BC, King Tarquinius Superbus built here a temple shared with the Latins, the Hernici and the Volsci, where every year celebrations in honor of Jupiter Latiaris were held. In return, Jupiter Latiaris conferred upon whoever was elected head of the Latin confederation, the power of dictator latinus. A triumphal procession along this sacred way left the Appian Way at Ariccia and climbed up 450 m to the hillside. More than 5 km of this way is well preserved through the woods. ==Ancient temple, hermitage, hotel, station==

In the Early Middle Ages the temple of Iuppiter Latiaris was replaced by a hermitage devoted to Saint Peter, built by a Dalmatian hermit. It was visited by Pope Pius II in 1463, and subsequently by Pope Alexander VII. After the Dalmatian hermits the Polish religious order of Edmondo of Buisson was established there, then the Trinitarian Spaniards, and finally the Flemish Missionaries. The hermitage was converted to a monastery in 1727. The Passionists came in 1758 and restored it in 1783, using the materials of the temple of Jupiter, as found and raised by Henry Benedict Stuart, Duke of York,—with 20 enemy soldiers killed and 30 prisoners taken. ==References==