DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61894#0275
Ch. VIL
THROUGH ITALY.
245
about two miles, to a bridge remarkable for the
remains of a lofty arch, formed to conduct the
Claudian aqueduct over the Anio. Only a small
part of the arch is standing, while the channel
opened through the rock on the opposite side,
near a mill, is still perfect. The banks here are
extremely bold, particularly on the northern
side of the river, where they rise to a great ele-
vation, and seem to hang over the mill and the
stream. The rock is hollowed out by nature
into a variety of grottos, said to have been for
some time the retreat of St. Benedict, the patri-
arch of the western monks. On the top of the
rock stands the Franciscan convent of S. Cosi-
inato, a neat and convenient building, with a
very clean church. Hither we repaired, in or-
der to take shelter from a very heavy shower,
and were received by the good fathers with cor-
diality, and treated in a very hospitable and po-
lite manner. About one o’clock we sallied forth,
and returning back some little way, took a path
leading directly northward. I must observe,
that from the convent, and indeed some little
time before you reach it, you discover towards
the north two villages beautifully situated on the
summit of a woody and well cultivated hill, sup-
ported by a range of mountains behind; one of
these villages is called Cantu Lubo, the other
THROUGH ITALY.
245
about two miles, to a bridge remarkable for the
remains of a lofty arch, formed to conduct the
Claudian aqueduct over the Anio. Only a small
part of the arch is standing, while the channel
opened through the rock on the opposite side,
near a mill, is still perfect. The banks here are
extremely bold, particularly on the northern
side of the river, where they rise to a great ele-
vation, and seem to hang over the mill and the
stream. The rock is hollowed out by nature
into a variety of grottos, said to have been for
some time the retreat of St. Benedict, the patri-
arch of the western monks. On the top of the
rock stands the Franciscan convent of S. Cosi-
inato, a neat and convenient building, with a
very clean church. Hither we repaired, in or-
der to take shelter from a very heavy shower,
and were received by the good fathers with cor-
diality, and treated in a very hospitable and po-
lite manner. About one o’clock we sallied forth,
and returning back some little way, took a path
leading directly northward. I must observe,
that from the convent, and indeed some little
time before you reach it, you discover towards
the north two villages beautifully situated on the
summit of a woody and well cultivated hill, sup-
ported by a range of mountains behind; one of
these villages is called Cantu Lubo, the other