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Just east of Rome in Lazio high in the hills on the western slope on Mount Tiburtina along the Aniene River, we find the city of Tivoli. Its present day population is about 65,000.
The origins of Tivoli date back to the 13th century B.C. with the founding of the Latin "Tibur" then transformed to Tibori to Tiboli and finally to Tivoli.
Many years later, Rome began to have a great influence over Tivoli, in part due to its direct land link of Via Tiburtina but the city was an independent ally of Rome until around 340 B.C when Rome defeated the Gauls, Tivoli's ally at the time, therefore taking power over the township. But it wasn't until 90 B.C., however, that Tivoli acquired actual citizenship of Rome leading to its transformation of a vacation spot famous for its beauty, mild climate and exceptionally good drinking water.
Its new found fame and popularity led Tivoli to become the desire of the rich to build some of the most beautiful villas in Italy including the oldest and most famous Villa Adriana (Hadrian's Villa).
Tivoli became an independent municipal again in the 10th century and doing so became a rival of Rome battling for control of other parts of central Lazio but at the turn of century Tivoli fell under Papal control. Up until the middle ages, Tivoli was able to maintain a political autonomy but at the same time, it was during this period that some of the grandest villas, dating back to the Roman age, fell to ruin.
Through the following centuries Tivoli saw other political changes and during the Renaissance period many new buildings were constructed there, like the Rocca Pia, built by Pope Pius II to demonstrate Papal power and to control the tumultuous population.
The 16th century witnessed construction of other grand villas like Villa Este built in 1549 for Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este by Pirro Ligorio. Another landmark is Villa Gregoriana, added by Pope Gregory XVI in 1835, designed around the River Aniene's famous waterfalls.
Tivoli's economy is primarily based on the production of travertine, dug from the many quarries found there, a calcium carbonate rock used in the construction of many monuments.
Tivoli offers its visitors an array of monuments, ruins, and nature, well worth a day of sight seeing.
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