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History of
Viterbo
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Viterbo main information page)
The area of Viterbo was once known as
?Surrena? then ?Tuscia? named after the Etruscan populations
that once lived in the northern part of Lazio.
The region is indeed an area full of history
and art, the best preserved in Italy and testimony of the
mysterious Etruscan culture, defined as the genius ?polis? of
Italian history.
According to historical documents, it was
eventually taken over by the Romans and in the VIII century, the
city was identified as Castrum Viterbii.
It was then fortified in 773 by the Lombard
king Desiderius in his vain attempt to conquer Rome.
Its well documented origins are indeed from
times where the city became known as the refuge from Rome for
the Popes, earning the title of the ?City of Popes?.
During the long controversy between the Roman
Catholic?s church and the Emperor, Viterbo grew as a free city.
Then, with the Franchi support, Viterbo
became part of the Papal States.
In 1164 the Barbarossa made Viterbo the seat
of his Antipope Paschal III, using the city?s militias against
Rome.
In 1172 the city was a rich and prosperous
comune, one of the most important of Central Italy, with a
population of almost 60,000.
Around 1207 the city was excommunicated as
favourite seat of the heretical Popes and defeated by the
Romans.
In the 13th century it was ruled alternately
by the tyrants of the Gatti and Di Vico families.
Since 1240 Viterbo has been a loyal Guelph
town and between 1257 and 1261 it was the seat of Pope Alexander
IV, while his successor Urban IV was also elected here.
Other popes elected in Viterbo were Gregory
IX (1271) and John XXI (1276), Nicholas III and the French
Martin IV.
Without the Popes, the city fell into the
hands of the Di Vico?s family.
It is however worth to note that the city has
always followed the vicissitudes of the Papal State well known
nowadays as the Vatican.
It then became part of the Italian history
since 1860.
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