Roman structures embedded in moden power plant
In correspondence with the Enel power plant that develops about 4 km north of Civitavecchia it is possible to admire the remains of archaeological structures from various eras. Surely the most evident ruins are constituted by the tower, which was part of the coastal defense system developed along the entire coast at least from the 11th century onwards. A more careful look however will not fail to notice what remains of a beautiful maritime villa from the Roman era
The seaside villas were built on promontories near bays and inlets, these villas were "holiday resorts" of the Roman elite starting from the 2nd century BC. The seaside villa of Torre Valdaliga fortunately preserves intact some peculiar technical features. First of all the presence of long channels dug into the emerging sandstone bank and arranged in a fan shape, so as to better capture the water necessary to feed the fish pond. These channels were oriented according to the direction of the winds, so as to also exploit the wave motion to minimize stagnation inside the fish pond.
The connection between the residential area and the fish pond was, instead, guaranteed by a jetty. From there the owner could thus enjoy the marine landscape that he had artificially constructed, while those who supervised the operation of the fish pond had a platform for a view of the structure from above.
