Sabaudia

For the Polish village, see Sabaudia, Lublin Voivodeship. For the Alpine region, see Sapaudia.

Sabaudia is a coastal town on the Tyrrhenian Sea, in the province of Latina, Lazio, in central Italy. Sabaudia's centre is characterised by several examples of Fascist architecture, as it was one of several towns built in the 1930s built on land reclaimed from swamps and wetlands under projects by Mussolini.

Sabaudia
Comune
Città di Sabaudia
Sabaudia Town Hall
Coat of arms
Location of Sabaudia
Sabaudia Location of Sabaudia in Italy Show map of Italy Sabaudia Sabaudia (Lazio) Show map of Lazio
Coordinates: 41°18′05″N 13°01′34″E
Country	Italy
Region	Lazio
Province	Latina (LT)
Founded	April 12, 1934
Frazioni	Baia d'Argento, Bella Farnia, Borgo San Donato, Borgo Vodice, Cerasella, Mezzomonte, Molella, Sacramento, Sant'Andrea, Sant'Isidoro
Government
• Mayor	Alberto Mosca (Civic list)
Area [1]
• Total	144 km2 (56 sq mi)
Elevation	17 m (56 ft)
Population  (31 July 2017)[2]
• Total	20,613
• Density	140/km2 (370/sq mi)
Demonym	Sabaudiani
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	04016
Dialing code	0773
ISTAT code	059024
Patron saint	SS. Annunziata
Saint day	March 25
Website	www.comune.sabaudia.lt.it

Villa Volpi, a neoclassical seaside villa built in 1952 for Countess Nathalie Volpi of Misurata, is located on the sand dunes of Sabaudia.

History

In ancient Roman times, the extensive Villa of Domitian was built nearby and embellished by the emperor.^[3] Some of its remains have been excavated.

Sabaudia is one of several towns built on the reclaimed marshland of the ancient Pontine Marshes (Agro Pontino). This marsh was drained under orders from Benito Mussolini. Vast tracts of malaria-infested swamp were drained by workers transported from poor areas of northern Italy, leaving the coastal area south of Rome with rich farmland. These towns were built so that the fascist regime could demonstrate the successful draining of the marshland, as well as to provide housing communities for the increasing urban populations of Italy's large cities.

Architects Gino Cancellotti, Eugenio Montuori, Luigi Piccinato, and Alfredo Scalpelli were responsible for the town plan and many of the building. They had won a competition for the design of Sabaudia, sponsored by Mussolini. Work commenced on the town's construction on 5 August 1933 and was completed 253 days later.

The town itself is based on a rectangular grid road layout and rationalist architecture. It was named after the then-reigning Savoy dynasty (Italian: dinastia sabauda).

Beaches

Sabaudia is well frequented by residents of Rome and Naples, as it is about halfway between the two cities. Sabaudia has 15 km of beach that were awarded the Blue Flag designation by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). The FEE grades a beach based on the quality of water, recycling and waste management practices, the presence of lifeguards, and the inclusion of pedestrian paths and green areas. Surrounded by the Circeo Forest, access is provided by a boardwalk along the entire coast.^[4]

Il Monte Circeo is a prominent landmark in the area.

Twin towns / sister cities

• Saint-Médard-en-Jalles, France
• El Vendrell, Spain

Media

On November 20, 2024, Netflix released a series set in Sabaudia.^[5]