Santi Cosma e Damiano | |
Official Name: | Comune di Santi Cosma e Damiano |
Coordinates: | 41.3°N 62°W |
Region: | Lazio |
Province: | Latina (LT) |
Frazioni: | Cerri Aprano, Grunuovo, San Lorenzo, Ventosa |
Mayor: | Franco Taddeo |
Area Total Km2: | 31.61 |
Population Total: | 6967 |
Population As Of: | 30 June 2017[1] |
Population Demonym: | Sancosemesi |
Elevation M: | 181 |
Istat: | 059026 |
Saint: | Sts. Cosmas and Damian |
Day: | September 26 |
Postal Code: | 04020 |
Area Code: | 0771 |
Santi Cosma e Damiano is a town and comune in the province of Latina, in the Lazio region of central Italy, whose territory is located partly in the Monti Aurunci area and partly in the Garigliano plain.
Sights include an 11th-century tower in the frazione of Ventosa.
It is mentioned for the first time in a Gaetan document from 830 AD, although the area was inhabited in ancient times by the Ausoni/Aurunci (nearby was the ancient town of Vescia).
Here, in the locality known as Vattaglia (local dialect for "battle"), was fought in 915 the Battle of Garigliano between the Italian league and the Saracens. After the battle the place was part of the Duchy of Gaeta, then of the Montecassino Abbey until the Norman conquest in 1140, after which it followed the history of the Kingdom of Naples.
During World War II, Santi Cosma e Damiano was located on the Gustav Line, and therefore suffered heavy bombings in 1943 - 44.