Cassino and the surrounding area offer many attractions for tourists, with beautiful
landscapes and the richness of remains that this land has preserved
since
ancient times.
The story of this modern town is linked to so many important things, if we
think to the early manuscripts in the vernacular, we can all remember
"Kelle terre ...", or the Benedictine rules "Ora et Labora
...", or finally the majestic Abbey of Monte Cassino, unfortunately tied
to the terrible events of World War II. Cassino is universally known not only
as a symbol of the work of St Benedict of Norcia, but also for the violence suffered
during the last war during the Battle of Monte Cassino. Monte Cassino and the
surrounding area for over a thousand years have been the center of culture, art
and social life. The “Terra Sancti Benedicti” with its many possessions, has
been a real sovereign state in the employ of the Holy See, a land that offers,
notwithstanding looting and destruction, important elements for the tourist.
In the town of Cassino there is the famous Abbey of Montecassino, which still
attracts many tourists. Ancient Volsci town and then of Sabellians, Casinum was
occupied in 310 a. C. by the Romans, first as a colony and then it gained its
independence as a municipality. In the Middle Ages, the city was destroyed by
the Lombards, and it was later rebuilt and fortified with a fortress.
At the time of Frederick Barbarossa it was long besieged by Andrea Rupecassina,
but it was freed by troops from Normandy in 1230. After the siege of Gaeta,
there was concluded a peace treaty between Gregory IX and Frederick II of
Swabia. Pope Innocent IV in 1254 occupied the city and forced Manfredi to come
to terms.
In 1266 the militia of Manfredi were overtaken by the troops of Charles of
Anjou and in 1799 during the retreat of the French from the Neapolitan area, it
was devastated by the troops of General Championnet.
Cassino during World War II, for its strategic location which allowed to block
the lower valley of the Liri covered by the Casalina road, was the scene of
repeated violent clashes between the allied troops who sailed up the peninsula
and the Germans who, stopped on the Gustav line, tried to counter the advance
towards Rome.
Of the ancient Casinum, located about 1 km south of the modern city, now parts
of the polygonal walls still remain, also documented by the necropolis,
important monuments of Roman Empire age, along the slopes of Monte Cassino: the
amphitheater, the theater, and the tomb with the Greek cross of the Ummidia
gens, later converted into a church. There are numerous finds of statues and
inscriptions, which are stored in a special museum.
The city was called the "martyred city" due to its complete
destruction, which occurred during the Second World War.
The landscape of Cassino is beautiful, here everybody can enjoy beautiful views
everywhere, both going up to the observation points on raised area from the
plan of campaign, and going for example to the location "i Panaccioni"
where the soft undulations of the land take the aspect of an ancient legend and
make the campaign seem like an ocean wave, looking lush and rich in color according
with the seasons, in the many shades of green or warm and enchanting colors of nature.
