Santi Cosma e Damiano, Lazio

Santi Cosma e Damiano
Comune
Comune di Santi Cosma e Damiano
View of Santi Cosma e Damiano
Coat of arms
Location of Santi Cosma e Damiano
Santi Cosma e Damiano Location of Santi Cosma e Damiano in Italy Santi Cosma e Damiano Santi Cosma e Damiano (Lazio)
Coordinates: 41°18′N 13°49′E
Country	Italy
Region	Lazio
Province	Latina (LT)
Frazioni	Cerri Aprano, Grunuovo, San Lorenzo, Ventosa
Government
• Mayor	Franco Taddeo
Area
• Total	31.61 km2 (12.20 sq mi)
Elevation	181 m (594 ft)
Population  (30 June 2017)
• Total	6,967
• Density	220/km2 (570/sq mi)
Demonym	Sancosemesi
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	04020
Dialing code	0771
ISTAT code	059026
Patron saint	Sts. Cosmas and Damian
Saint day	September 26
Website	Official website

Santi Cosma e Damiano is a town and comune in the province of Latina, in the Lazio region of central Italy, whose territory is located partly in the Monti Aurunci area and partly in the Garigliano plain.

Sights include an 11th-century tower in the frazione of Ventosa.

History

It is mentioned for the first time in a Gaetan document from 830 AD, although the area was inhabited in ancient times by the Ausoni/Aurunci (nearby was the ancient town of Vescia).

Here, in the locality known as Vattaglia (local dialect for "battle"), was fought in 915 the Battle of Garigliano between the Italian league and the Saracens. After the battle the place was part of the Duchy of Gaeta, then of the Montecassino Abbey until the Norman conquest in 1140, after which it followed the history of the Kingdom of Naples.

During World War II, Santi Cosma e Damiano was located on the Gustav Line, and therefore suffered heavy bombings in 1943–44.