Palestrina

Palestrina has been a cultural centre for artists and writers. It is also renowned for being the birthplace, in 1525, of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, the prince of polyphonic and sacred music. His former home is now a museum and important music library with about six thousand volumes of music and musical critics and with a focus on the Renaissance. At the centre of the main square, Piazza Regina Margherita, is the statue of the composer.

Church of S.Rosalia

Annexed to the Palazzo Barberini there is the Church dedicated to Santa Rosalia, involved against the plague of Rome (and naturally Palestrina). In fact the church was commissioned by Maffeo Berberini in accordance with a vow made during the time of the plague that struck the town in1656. The church, richly adorned with marbles and alabaster, was consecrated in 1660. Here many members of Barberini family are buried and there is one of the richly decorated Barberini tombs. In the sacresty there used to be the so called Pietà di Palestrina by Michelangelo, carved in the solid rock, wich, since 1938, has been removed to the Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence. The sculpture is a group of three figures: Jesus, Virgin and Maria Maddalena.