The Acropolis is the symbol of Alatri, the heart of the historic centre, and is a flat area on a hill surrounded by megalithic walls.
It is assumed that the acropolis was built before the walls.
The Acropolis is called "Civita" and has a trapezoidal shape and inside it is a square base of megalithic blocks on which today is a church.
Originally on this pedestal there was probably an ancient temple dedicated to the god Saturn, the mythical founder of many towns in Southern Lazio.
The temple was rebuilt in the garden of the National Museum of Villa Giulia in Rome.
As happened to many pagan temples, the areas were then used by the Catholic Church to make churches and places of worship. Acropolis of Alatri today is the Cathedral of the city dedicated to St. Paul the Apostle.
On a rock outcropping in the highest part of the Acropolis, in 2008 was found a graffiti representing a templum (triple circle), perfectly oriented astronomically.
The relationship between the layout of the acropolis and the astronomical arrangement of the stars was also known to the German visitor Gregorovius.
He came on purpose visiting Alatri and wrote in his notes that he was most impressed by the acropolis and the Coliseum of Rome.
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