Fondi (; Southern Laziale: Fùnn) is a city and comune in the province of Latina, Lazio, central Italy, halfway between Rome and Naples. As of 2017, the city had a population of 39,800. The city has experienced steady population growth since the early 2000s, though this has slowed in recent years. Another sack followed in 1594, starting the decline of the city, which had in the meantime passed to the Carafa of Stigliano. In 1720 Fondi was acquired by the di Sangro family.

In 1818 the declining city, surrounded by malaria-infested marshes malaria and brigandage, lost the bishopric seat existing there since the very early years of Christianity.

After the Armistice of 8 September 1943, the anti-Fascist novelist Alberto Moravia and his wife Elsa Morante took refuge in Fondi; the experience inspired Moravia's book La Ciociara ("The Woman from Ciociaria") (1958).

Economy

Agriculture in the area around Fondi has always been favoured by the presence of abundant water sources and by the climatic conditions. The traditional production of citrus has been recently supplanted by that of vegetables and fruit of all kinds.

Fondi is the seat of an important market for agriculture and food products which distribute millions of tons of agricultural products every year.

thumb|250px|The Fondi seaside and plain towards Terracina.

Main sights

Fondi's main sights include:

  • The Castle, with a characteristic round tower standing more than , symbol of the city. The castle was built in the 14th century by Onorato I Caetani over a stretch of ancient Roman walls. In the 16th century it was the seat of Giulia Gonzaga's court of literates and artists. Since 1987 it houses the city's Museum.
  • The adjacent Palazzo del Principe ("Prince's Palace"), constructed in 1466–77 is attributed to the Catalan architect Matteo Forcimanya. Its portals, the mullioned window, the court and the loggiato form a synthesis of Catalan-Gothic and Angevine architectures.
  • The Cathedral of St. Peter (Duomo, 14th century) is built over a Roman edifice identified as a temple of Jupiter. It houses the sepulchre of Cristoforo Caetani, a marble bishop cathedra and Cosmatesque pulpit from the 13th century, an Annunciation Tryptych by Cristoforo Scacco and Majesty with St. Peter and St. Paul by Antoniazzo Romano.
  • The Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta, preceded by a wide staircase and built in the 15th century by Onorato II Caetani. It has a Latin cross plant, with an aisle and two naves: main points of interests are a cyborium from 1491 and the venerated statue of the Madonna of the Sky.
  • The medieval churches of San Domenico and San Francesco.
  • Abbey of San Magno, Fondi

Twin towns – sister cities

Fondi is twinned with:

  • Dachau, Germany

See also

  • Unicusano Fondi Calcio
  • Caetani
  • Giulia Gonzaga
  • Lake Fondi

Sources

References