VELLETRI, a city in the States of the Churoh, prettily situated on the lower slopes of the Monte Artemisio (which forms the northern boundary of the Pontine Marshes), at a distance of IC miles S.E. from Rome, and has 12,500 inhabitants. It is an ill-built town, with narrow and inconvenient streets; but the climate is healthy. The town is the residence of a Cardinal Legate, and conjointly with Ostia gives title to a bishop. There is a spacious piazza, or square, named from the church of Santa Maria, in Trivio, which is surmounted by a lofty campanile, erected in 1353. The principal structures are the cathedral of San Clemente, rebuilt in 1660; the church of Santa Maria del Orto; the Pallazzo l'ublice, or town-hall, which was built by pramante ; the Ginetti, or Lancelloti palace, which was the head quarters of Carlo Borbone during the battle of Velletri, and is now deserted; and the Borgia Palace, formerly famous for its museum. The town is surrounded by old turreted walls crumbling to ruin. The beauty, majestio bearing, and graceful costume of the women of Velletri are celebrated by travellers.
Velletri occupies the site of the Volscian Velitrer, which after long hostilities with Home was destroyed, and the inhabitants removed to the city on the Tiber. The city seems however to have been after wards rebuilt. Augustus Cresar was born at Velitrte. It was occupied by Belisarius in the 6th century, and suffered severely in the Lom bard invasion subsequently. The hills north of the town were the scene of Carlo Borbone's great victory over the Austrians in 1734, which secured the kingdom of the Two Sicilies to the Spanish Bourbon".
Velletri is the capital of the Legation, or province of Velletri, which has an area of 629 square miles, and • population of 59,356 (In 1850). The province lies between the Comarca-di-Roma and the Neapolitan frontier, and includes a vast extent of marsh-land, which is infested by malaria in summer and autumn. Corn, wine of good quality, and cattle are among the chief products.