Located south of Rome, in the territory of the Roman countryside and between the Alban Hills and the Tyrrhenian Sea, stands the new stop on our journey through Italy’s business landscape: Pomezia.It has around 65,000 inhabitants and, although it presents itself as a recently founded and planned city (its buildings are generally made of tuff and do not have the medieval appearance of many villages in Lazio), it actually has much older and legendary roots, dating back to the myth of Aeneas.
History and present: myth and foundation of Pomezia.
The city of Pomezia, as we know it today, was founded fairly recently: its first stone was laid on April 25, 1938 and, in just 18 months, it was entirely built and “inaugurated” in October 1939. It is considered the last of the “Foundation Cities” of the Fascist era: a large-scale twenty-year urban planning operation whose aim was, on one hand, to increase grain and agricultural production in order to achieve the peninsula’s self-sufficiency, the so-called “Battle for Grain”, and on the other hand to decongest urban centres by creating new cities. The heart of the intervention was the Pontine countryside, which was entirely reclaimed and therefore made buildable and habitable, also thanks to the eradication of malaria.
It immediately became home to thousands of families, mostly from Veneto and Emilia, who arrived with the hope of a new life and in search of good work in agriculture thanks to the reclaimed fields.
Although the current city has such recent origins, Pomezia actually has mythological roots, which make it unique compared to the other Foundation Cities such as Latina and Sabaudia: its territory is in fact home to the ancient Lavinium (today Pratica di Mare), where the legendary Aeneas landed, founded the city in honour of his wife Lavinia, and began the lineage that would later lead to the birth of Rome.
Its location near the coast made Pomezia a strategic, but also critical point during the Second World War. After the Anzio landing in 1944, the city suffered heavy bombings that damaged the town and part of the newly constructed buildings. Once the war ended, the city experienced an economic and industrial boom, with the reconstruction of destroyed monuments and a rebirth that allowed it to become one of the most important industrial centres in Italy, just a few kilometres from the Capital.
The etymology of the name derives directly from Suessa Pometia, a very ancient city of pre-Roman Lazio of Volscian or Latin origin. According to the historian Titus Livy, Suessa Pometia was a rich and influential city conquered by Tarquinius Superbus.
The term Pometia, which later became Pomezia, reflects both the modernity of the 20th century and the ancient foundations linked to Latium civilisation. The root of the word comes from the Latin pomum, meaning fruit; Pomona, instead, was the Roman goddess of all fruits. The choice of the name is therefore also a reference to fruit cultivation: Pomezia was created with the aim of making fertile and cultivable land that for centuries had been unhealthy and marshy.
Finally, the term Pometia also appears in Book VI of the Aeneid, when Virgil recounts Aeneas’ descent into the Underworld and lists the future cities that would be founded by the Trojans in Lazio.
What to visit in Pomezia: from the Archaeological Museum to the Sughereta Nature Reserve.
Pomezia is a city with an ancient soul, but a modern structure, and offers several options to those who decide to visit it, including the surrounding areas.
An unmissable stop, allowing visitors to breathe in the city’s most ancient and mythological soul, is certainly the Museo Archeologico Lavinium: a place that combines history and innovation. Alongside the various archaeological artefacts preserved there, among which one of the most famous is the statue of Minerva Tritonia, as well as the section entirely dedicated to Aeneas and the stages of his journey, there is also a multimedia route that allows visitors to relive the mythical hero’s landing in an interactive way through lights and sounds.
Not far from the village of Pratica di Mare stands the Heroon of Aeneas, the place where Virgilian legend meets archaeology. It is a commemorative monument that the Romans dedicated to their ancestor, transforming an ancient princely tomb from the 7th century BC into a monumental sanctuary. It is striking for its large earthen mound and, above all, for the “false door” in tuff symbolising the ritual passage to the afterlife. For the Romans of the 4th century BC, this was the sacred heart of their origins, a physical point of contact with the Trojan exile.
For those who love nature and greenery, just a few steps from the urban centre lies the Sughereta di Pomezia, offering an immersion into the ancient forest of the Lazio coastline. It is a rare example of woodland dominated by cork oaks, majestic trees growing alongside Turkey oaks and other flora typical of Mediterranean scrubland. Walking along its paths means disconnecting from the industrial rhythm to rediscover a precious ecosystem inhabited by numerous animal species, including birds of prey, foxes and porcupines. It is the perfect place for anyone seeking a regenerating walk discovering the local flora and fauna.
Not far from the silence of the Sughereta lies a place imposing a different kind of silence: the German Military Cemetery of Pomezia, striking for its austere solemnity. It is a grassy expanse where more than 27,000 soldiers rest. There are no monumental crosses or lavish marble structures, only simple grey slabs. It is a place that encourages reflection on the fragility of the human condition and the absurdity of war.
Just a few minutes from the modern centre of Pomezia, moreover, lies a place where time seems to have stopped: the medieval village of Pratica di Mare. Situated on a hill overlooking the coast, this fortified village appears today as a small treasure chest of ochre-coloured houses and silent alleys gathered around the majestic castle owned by the Borghese family. The village stands on the ashes of Lavinium, the city that legend claims was founded by Aeneas after landing on the Lazio coast. Visiting Pratica di Mare offers a sharp contrast to the frenzy of the surrounding industrial area.
What to eat in Pomezia and surroundings: torvicelli, telline clams and traditional Roman dishes.
Pomezia offers a rich culinary mix, combining traditional Roman dishes and seafood specialities, thanks to its proximity both to the Capital and the coast.
Starting with appetisers, the first dish to mention is crostini with telline clams: toasted bread accompanied by this seafood speciality sautéed in a pan with garlic, olive oil and parsley. There are also plenty of land-based alternatives, such as fresh sheep’s ricotta, primosale cheese or coppiette romane (strips of dried meat usually seasoned with chilli pepper).
As for first courses, the typical Roman pasta dishes can never be missing, such as carbonara, gricia and amatriciana. Another traditional first course is spaghetti with the aforementioned telline clams, cooked “in bianco” to enhance the flavour of the seafood.
The dish considered the symbol of the area is Torvicelli. It is a long pasta, similar to a large chitarra spaghetti made with water and flour. In the original recipe, it is dressed with a sauce made of fresh anchovies, tomato and a final sprinkling of Pecorino Romano cheese. Torvicelli are also celebrated during the famous festival usually held in Torvaianica in June: the perfect opportunity to taste the dish prepared in the most traditional way or in some modern variations.
Among the most widespread and delicious main courses is certainly frittura di paranza, prepared according to the catch of the day and made with small fish such as red mullet, suace (a small sole fish), baby squid, anchovies and more, all fried in a golden coating. It is a very common dish in restaurants, but also typical of street food stands, which usually serve it in a paper cone.
Another tasty second course “imported” from Roman tradition is abbacchio a scottadito: grilled lamb chops typical of the rural area surrounding the village of Pratica di Mare.
Among the side dishes, Roman-style artichokes certainly cannot be missing, cooked with mint and garlic and usually sourced from local farms.
Finally, as for desserts, ciambelline al vino are quite widespread: dry and crunchy biscuits made with flour, sugar, oil and wine from the Castelli Romani area, as well as Saint Joseph’s cream puffs and fritters, especially typical during Saint Joseph’s celebrations and the Carnival period.
The companies of Pomezia: development and industry towards the future with ultra-broadband
Starting from the post-war period, Pomezia experienced significant industrial development. Born as an agricultural city, it rapidly evolved into one of Italy’s most powerful production engines. Thanks to its strategic position on the outskirts of Rome, it became an industrial hub of excellence, attracting giants from the pharmaceutical, technology, metalworking and other sectors. Today it has become an important industrial reference point both regionally and nationally due to the presence of numerous businesses and companies of various sectors and sizes. This growth has made it a lively and multicultural city.
Among the many companies populating the industrial area is, for example, Gruppo Sogimi, specialising in the processing and production of plastic materials. Founded in 1951, over the years it has expanded its activity and expertise, specialising further and growing across the national territory. Precisely because of this constant growth, Sogimi Holding was established, operating as the strategic coordination structure of the group, which includes Sogiplast, dedicated to the distribution of plastic materials, composites and compact sheet materials, and Sogiform, specialising in the processing of expanded materials, rubber, polyethylene and silicones. The group is also completed by two companies operating internationally.
Another historic company is Blasetti, specialising in stationery and the supply of products for schools and offices. It is a company boasting more than 100 years of history: it was founded in 1917 by Amedeo Blasetti, who opened a small artisan business in Rome dedicated to the production of envelopes. During the war periods, letters were an important means of communication, and production increased significantly until, in 1965, the new large factory in Pomezia was inaugurated. In the 1990s, the offer was expanded by introducing paper products for schools and offices, such as notebooks, notepads and folders. In the 2000s, it consolidated its business both on the national and international markets, becoming a structured and recognised manufacturing company. Today, in addition to a vast production range and wide selection, Blasetti constantly invests in innovation, automation and modern technologies, with the aim of continuously improving quality as well as sustainability and efficiency.
Another interesting company is Tecno System, specialising in integrated security systems such as alarms, video surveillance and more, for every type of business, as well as customised solutions. It was founded in 2000 initially focusing on banking security, but quickly grew, immediately achieving considerable success and consequently expanding its client base. Thanks to the continuous research and training of its team, over the years it has broadened its portfolio and services offered, ready to satisfy every type of need and requirement.
Looking towards the future, Pomezia’s businesses are now ready for the next step in their competitive development: the implementation of advanced services such as IoT, AI, cybersecurity and cloud solutions, thanks to the creation of an innovative optical fibre infrastructure up to 10G with guaranteed transmission speed developed by FibreConnect.
Ultra-broadband will encourage the development of new services and improve production processes, making these industrial areas even more competitive and attractive to national and international investors.
Another step forward for the economy and artisanal excellence of our country, towards an increasingly connected and international future.