Today a desirable place of residence for commuters to Rome, Grottaferrata was once very important thanks to the monk and saint Nilo, who in 1004 founded a splendid abbey here, which still adheres to its original Byzantine rites, and a festival is held here in September in honour of its founder. After 1870, the sale of the land belonging to the abbey caused its fragmentation into many smaller monastic institutions and it also became a location for the homes for the rich Roman bourgeoisie. You can visit the “Ad Decimum” catacombs and the 16th century Villa Grazioli, the “Fiera Nazionale” Fair in March.
