Magliano Sabina

Magliano lived on its river port on the Tiber, and in 1495 Alexander VI made it the seat of the Sabine diocese and gave it the title of city. Then, between 1598 and 1623, the Ponte Felice was built at the wish of Sixtus V: the bridge killed the port, which was the source of the wealth, and the diversion of the Tiber to build it left stagnant water that brought epidemics. A century later a description says the city had «much fallen from its ancient splendour» and had no honour left but the bishop's throne; in the eighteenth century families had to abandon their houses and go to live in the gardens and the fields.

The other thing that weighs on Magliano is a very long vassalage. In 1311 the Capitoline senator Ludovico di Savoia subjected it to the comune of Rome, whose vassal it became, and Rome's rights were taken away only by Pius IX, in 1847: five hundred and thirty-six years later. In September 1870, on the eve of the taking of Rome, general Raffaele Cadorna set up his headquarters here to attack the Papal State. The frazione of Foglia is today one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.