Rieti, on the Via Salaria, is the capital town of the Sabina area. It also boasts that is “navel” of modern Italy, balancing delicately between North and South. A marble plate in Piazza San Rufo identify the square as the centre of Italy. The town reflects the touch of Roman city planners, with its walls and the north-south axis on which all Roman cities and military camps were built. The city is surrounded by a circle of mighty medieval walls. The landscape is dominated by the Cathedral of Santa Maria (1109) and its Romanesque bell-tower (1252); Palazzo Vescovile (1283) and its Gothic arches; remains of medieval tower houses and elegant Renaissance palaces. In Via Roma stands the 17th century Palazzo Vecchiarelli by Carlo Maderno and in Via Cintia Palazzo Vicentini attributed to Antonio Sangallo the Younger. Industry and all forms of modern conveniences may be found in Rieti. It is the hub of the local transit network.