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The
Turriziani
Colonna family
are an ancient
noble family of
Frosinone,
central Italy,
with records
from the XIII
century of one
Pietro, notary
by imperial
authority, and
the nobleman
Adinolfo. A
legend has it
that Turriziani
Colonna
descended from a
branch of the
family Colonna
in Frosinone in
the thirteenth
century during
the restoration
of Papal primacy
in the Holy
Roman Empire, to
atone, away from
Rome as de
Turritianis,
their faith
Ghibellines in
support of the
party against
the Pope, the
name by which
they wanted to
call de
Turritianis
these Colonna in
Rome lived in
the well-known
palace of Tower
at the church of
SS. Apostoli, to
distinguish
themselves from
other family de
Columna who had
at that time far
greater
fortunes.
The House in
Frosinone, from
time immemorial
enjoyed absolute
patronage of the
chapel of S.
Annunciation of
the Virgin in
the Collegiate
Church of St.
Mary, before the
sack by the
Spanish troop
led by the Duke
de Alba in 1556.
The patronage
was confirmed
with multiple
acts of bishops
and the
Apostolic Letter
of Pope Pius IX,
Vitae ac morum
honestas, 1855.
In the chapel,
which was
located
Sepulcrum
Turritianis, was
instituted by
Pietro
Turriziani
Colonna the
Confraternity of
Death,
associated to
Confraternity of
Death in Rome.
During the war
waged by the
Spanish led by
Duke de Alba
against Pope
Paul IV in 1555,
Giovanni
Turriziani
Colonna claimed
Marcantonio
Colonna who
arrived in
Frosinone in
charge of heavy
cavalry.
Marcantonio
Colonna's
brother,
Fabrizio,
appears to be
the natural
father of
Giovanni
Prospero,
considered to be
the son of
Giovanni
Turriziani. In
fact it is said
there was a
clandestine
relationship
between Giovanni
Turriziani's
wife, a certain
Camilla, and
Fabrizio,
Marcantonio's
brother. The
destruction and
looting that
ensued from the
Spanish troops
caused the
withdraw of the
family to
Alatri. Since
1525 Giovanni
had been adviser
to the Alatri
Magistrate,
where his son,
Giovanni, was
elected Podestà
in 1557, while
his brother
Sebastiano
opened his first
school for youth
education in
1570. Giovanni
Prospero, son of
Giovanni, was
Podestà in 1601,
as was his son
Giovanni in 1628
and in 1631and
the son of this
Gregorio in
1695. Giovanni
married in Rome
in 1608 Lucrezia
Cremona, a
family ascribed
to the Roman
nobility, whose
palace today is
Valdina-Cremona
and clearly
visible to via
Dei Prefetti.
Gregorio, son of
Giovanni and
Lucretia, became
a cleric and was
benefited from
the Cathedral
Chapter of
Alatri; by the
Bishop of
Alatri, Stefano
Ghirardelli, he
was deputed to
search for a
suitable venue
for the seminar,
and found
himself worthy
accommodation in
Turriziani
Palace in
Alatri, made
available by the
family. After a
few years, the
family found
another location
for the
seminary.
Camilla and
Maria Felice,
sister of
Giovanni
Prospero,
dedicated
themselves nuns
in the monastery
of SS.
Annunziata in
Alatri, where,
the first under
the name of
Scolastica, was
elected abbess,
receiving the
blessing by the
Bishop of
Alatri,
Francesco
Campanari 1632.
Another son of
Giovanni and
Lucretia was
Francesco, with
whom the family
returned to
Frosinone where
he distinguished
himself by
conspicuous
properties.
In Frosinone the
family has
distinguished
itself in
numerous city
offices. The
Palazzo
Turriziani
Colonna is still
clearly visible
in the city
center. There
are streets,
squares and high
schools
dedicated to the
members of the
Turriziani
Colonna family.
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