Anagni Cathedral & Papal Palace

Anagni, perched in the Ciociaria hills of southern Lazio southeast of Rome, is known as the 'City of Popes' because four medieval pontiffs were born here and the town was a favoured papal residence in the 12th and 13th centuries. Its compact, remarkably intact medieval centre of stone houses, towers and arched lanes is dominated by two great monuments. The first is the Cathedral of Santa Maria, a powerful Romanesque church begun in the 11th century, with a fine Cosmatesque marble floor and pulpit and a soaring interior. Its true marvel, however, lies beneath: the cathedral crypt, frescoed from floor to ceiling and across its vaults with a vast 13th-century cycle of biblical scenes, scientific allegories and saints, so complete and luminous that it is often called the 'Sistine Chapel of the Middle Ages'. Walking among its painted columns under low vaults is the highlight of any visit to Anagni. The second monument is the Palazzo di Bonifacio VIII, the papal palace where in 1303 Pope Boniface VIII was famously seized and humiliated by agents of the King of France in the episode known as the 'Outrage of Anagni', a turning point in the struggle between papacy and monarchy. The palace's medieval halls are open to visitors. Beyond these, the old town rewards a wander through its narrow streets and small squares. A visit to the cathedral, crypt and palace, plus a stroll, takes around 1.5 to 2 hours; the crypt and palace charge a modest entry fee. Anagni is reached from Rome by train to Anagni-Fiuggi station, with a bus or taxi up to the hilltop town, or by car in about an hour. Quieter than Rome's headline sights, this scope-specific gem of the Frosinone province offers exceptional medieval art and history away from the crowds.