Viterbo

Viterbo is a city and comune in the Lazio region of Italy and the capital of the province of Viterbo. In its early history it conquered and absorbed the neighbouring town of Ferento. It lies about 80 kilometres north of the Autostrada A90 on the Via Cassia, ringed by the Monti Cimini and the Monti Volsini. The historic centre is enclosed by medieval walls built in the 11th and 12th centuries, which are still largely intact, and the walled centre is entered through ancient gates. Beyond agriculture, the local economy has relied on pottery, peperino stone and wood. The city houses the Italian gold reserves, an important Academy of Fine Arts, the University of Tuscia and the headquarters and training centre of the Italian Army Aviation Command. It stands in a broad thermal area that draws many visitors from across central Italy. Its patron saints are Saint Rose of Viterbo and Saint Lawrence the Martyr, and the infobox records a population of 67,804 in September 2017 over an area of about 406 square kilometres.