Subiaco

Subiaco is a city in Lazio in Italy.

Understand
The Benedictine Order originated here, and the city is thus a major site for religious pilgrimage. The Emperor Nero built a villa here, and the name of the town comes from the fact that he dammed the River Aniene to make lakes, and the town was below the lakes, or Sublacus in Latin. At the age of fourteen, in around 494 AD, St. Benedict took up residence in a cave, where he stayed for three years. A monastery already existed in the area, but Benedict chose to live alone in the cave, living only on scraps of food lowered in a basket by a monk. The cave, or grotto, became the cradle of the Benedictine Order, and St. Benedict later built twelve other monasteries.

By car
From Rome take the E80 Autostrada in the direction of L’Aquila. Leave at Arsoli and follow the SS411 in a southeasterly direction to Subiaco.