The region, located in the Alban hills to the southeast of Rome, owes its name to the fortresses built here in the Middle Ages by noble families fleeing the anarchy which prevailed in Rome. Each of these settlements is built on the edge of an immense crater, pockmarked with secondary craters which are now lakes (Albano and Nemi). Present-day Romans readily flock here to savour the fresh air, the peace and quiet, and its country inns with shady terraces.