The History of Fiuggi
Discover the history of Fiuggi and its spa
Felcia, Anticoli, Fiugy. The origins of Fiuggi date back to pre-Roman times, during which the little village of Felcia followed the fate of the confederation Ernica, which after constant clashes and alliances, was subjected permanently to Rome in 367 BC.
The Roman period is not known about for certain: we know that Felcia was on Via Prenestina and that, under the name of “Fons Arilla”, there were already notes about the properties of the water. But it was in the Middle Ages that the city developed and assumed greater importance with the name of Anticoli di Campagna, a name it held until earlier this century. The small village has always tied its history to that of the Papal States, to which it belonged, as a fief of the leading Roman families.
The castle of Anticoli, now completely gone, passed from hand to hand and saw the succession of Cajetani, Sforza, Borgia, and finally the Colonna families, who kept their power over the city until 1816, when they renounced a feud for the burden of the taxes imposed by Pope Pius VII.
The city was part of the Papal States, except for a brief period under Napoleonic rule, until the unification of Italy. The long history of Anticoli di Campagna remains etched, even today, perfectly preserved in the magnificent medieval village.
And the oldest part of Fiuggi, is surrounded by the enclosed walls, ramparts, and the gates of the old village. Then, lower down in the valley, the city was extended when real development began. It all happened very quickly: in 1911 the modest Anticoli di Campagna became Fiuggi, and this is the date that marks the divide between the old pastoral village and the modern tourist resort.
The name Fiuggi probably derives from the word “felci: or ferns – “fiugy” in dialect means – growing in the surrounding woods or, according to some, that its water “fugge” or “escapes” from the body quickly.
In 1910 the beautiful Grand Hotel of Fiuggi was built, and its summer theater housed all the important Italian shows of the time,. It is now a convention center.
In 1911 the Fountain Boniface VIII was inaugurated and welcomed the royal family. The highest representatives of politics, business, finance and the aristocracy never failed to give themselves a day at the Baths of Fiuggi. This was abruptly interrupted in the Roaring Twenties by the Second World War, during which many areas of the Ciociaria, including Montecassino, were bombed hard.
