FRASCATI, a town of Italy, in the province of Romo and about 10∣ miles south of the city, with a station at the terminus of a branch railway from the main line betwern Rome and Naples. It is the seat of a bishop, and a favourite summer residence of the Roman nobility. Among the public buildings are the old cathedral of S. Rocco, dating from the beginning of the 14th century; the new cathedral of San Pietro, founded about 1700 by Innocent XII.; the church of Santa Maria, of the 9th century; and seven old conventual establishments. But the interest of the place is due rather to its palatial villas. The villa Aldobraudini takes its name from Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini, was designed by Della Porta, contains frescos by Arpino, and now belongs to the Borghese family. The villa Ruffinella or Tusculana dates from the 16th century, was for some time in the possession of Lucian Bonaparte, and afterwards passed into the hands of King Victor Emmanuel. In the chapel are the tombs of Lucian Bonaparte,his wife,his father, and his son Joseph. ThevillaMon-dragone, the largest of all, was erected by Cardinal Altemps in the 16th century, now belongs to the Borghese family, and is partly occupied by a Jesuit school. The villa Conti, formerly known as the Ludovisi, is the property of the Torlonia family. The villa Falconieri, having been founded in 1550 by Cardinal Ruffini, ranks as the oldest in Frascati; and the villa Piccolomini is interesting as the place where Baronins composed part of his Annals. About 3 miles from Frascati is the Greek monastery of Grotta Ferrata, interesting mainly for the frescos of Domenichino in the chapel of St Nilus, the best of the Greek manuscripts formerly contained in its library having been removed to Rome. The extensive gardening operations of the ...