A small town positioned between the hills of Sabina area, in the province of Rieti, in the Valle del Farfa, Mompeo is rich in archaeological finds which demonstrate that, being located not far from the gates of Rome, wealthy Roman patricians used to build their country residences, such as Gneo Pompey, a famous Roman political, in honour of which, probably, the town was entitled.
Originally it was an important Sabine city, known as "Regillo and homeland of Appius Claudius. Being part of the Empire, the city followed the fortunes of Rome. The earliest records of Mompeo, after the fall of the Roman Empire, date back to 817 in the Summary Farfense and refer to a "Fundum Pompeianum" property, which belonged to the Benedictine Abbey. After the Saracen invasions, the fief submitted the domain of various Lords, including the Orsini, who ruled until 1559. Proclaimed Marquisate, it was acquired by the Capponi of Florence that, ceded it to the Naro of Rome. Later it was incorporated into the Papal States and in 1870 it was annexed to the Kingdom of Savoy.
Sites of Interest:
- the numerous archaeological Roman findings, in particular the remains of houses, tombs, urns, milestones, the bridge over the Farfa and the ruins of the Sabine fortifications;
- the Baron's Palace, built by the Naro in place of the Orsini fortress - of which remain only two towers built in the structure. It features boulevards, gardens, columns and the main floors are richly painted;
- the Church of the Nativity, built in 1663 by the will of Bernardino Naro, who built inside a noble chapel, to preserves the remains of his heart after his death, (while the rest of his body rests in the family chapel in the Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome ). The interior is in Baroque style and keeps several very valuable artworks.