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BARBARANO ROMANO
The Etruscan necropolis of San Giuliano
is a perfect mixture of archaeology and nature.
This is one of the most suggestive places in Southern Etruria, with its well conserved funeral monuments ranging from the Orientalizzante age through to classical and Hellenistic.
Here visitors can tour the ‘rocky graves’: burial grounds dug out of the tufa rock face which overlooks the river valleys surrounding the ancient Etruscan towns.
A visit to San Giuliano offers a unique occasion to walk around the Regional suburban park of ‘Marturanum’
a splendid protected naturalistic area where visitors can enjoy an almost uncontaminated habitat with its magnificent archaeological remains providing spectacular scenery.
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B L E R A
Tufa Landscapes
Built between the 8th. and the 7th. Century BC on a spur of tufa rock surrounded by deep valleys, Blera is one of the most important cities in Southern Etruria, as can be seen by the vast necropolii that surround it, such as Pian del Vescovo, Petrolo, and the Casaletto. It was densely inhabited all through the Republican and Imperial eras and was reached
by the important Via Claudia road. The city fell into decline with the fall of the Roman Empire in the West.
Part of the Tuscia Romana diocese until 1093, in 1247 it was destroyed by the army of Frederick II. First the domain of the Di Vico and Anguillara families, in 1572 Blera passed to the Camera Apostolica under Pope Gregory XIII.
Places to visit in the vicinity: San Giovenale ( approx. 7 km from Blera) where, in the ‘60s, Swedish archaeologists brought to light an Etruscan village, Civitella Cesi (nearby) with the Torlonia Castle and its narrow alleyways in the historic centre.
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BOLSENA
From the Volsinii to the miracle of Santa Cristina
BOLSENA the last great lucumony, known as Volsinii to the Romans and Velzna to the Etruscans, was for centuries, the incarnation of Etruscan power and grandeur. This superb city was razed to the ground by the Romans.
All around the shores of the lake can be found traces of life in the Bronze and Iron ages, testifying that the area was already inhabited in the proto-historic era. The city, one of the
richest and most flourishing in Southern Etruria, was completely destroyed by the Romans in 264 BC. After long and painful vicissitudes when they allied with the Vulci against Rome, the forces of the city were drained by the civil war between the noble patrizi and the freedmen who had overcome the government. Finally, the city was razed to the ground when Quinto Fabio Massimo caused the
citizens to starve to death in the last throes of the siege.
Places of interest:
The medieval Castle‘ La Rocca Medievale’ – The miracle of Santa Cristina’s grotto – The medieval town and the Rocca Monaldeschi – Santa Cristina’s church ( the grotto of the Corpus Domini miracle) the church of San Francesco – walks along the lakeside.
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CERVETERI
From the immense city of the dead to Hades way and the medieval town of Ceri
CERVETERI, known to the Etruscans as the great Kaisra, to the Greeks as Agylla and to the Romans as Caere, metropolis of Southern Etruria, stands on a rocky spur of Tufa 80 metres above sea level, bordered by the rivers Mola and Manganello. While little remains of the original Etruscan city, the city
of the dead with the necropolis of the Banditaccia (which was linked to Caere by the monumental Hades Way) of Sorbo (the Regolini-Galassi tomb) and Mount Abatone boast world renown.
The charming narrow streets (la Boccetta) of the medieval town of Cerveteri are well worth a visit. The National Caerite Museum is housed in the square of Santa Maria in the ancient castle
with tower and embattlements dating back to the thirteenth century. The castle incorporates parts of Etruscan walls from the IV century BC and the beautiful Romanesque church dating 1100, around which the more recent church of Santa Maria was built.
The beautiful medieval
village of Ceri lies about 9 kilometres from Cerveteri. The few hundred inhabitants of Cerveteri who survived the invasion of the Saracens and the malaria epidemic, moved here around the year 1000, calling the remains of the ancient Etruscan castellum by the name of Caere Nova (New Ceri), which stands at 151 metres above sea level towering above the
Sanguinara moat.
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SANTA SEVERA
From Pyrgi to the Metal Mountains
A day with the Etruscans from the sea to the mines
Pyrgi, The most important port in Southern Etruria, was situated where the present Santa Severa Castle stands, at the mouth of the river which was about a hundred metres away from the modern-day
coastline. In the VII century BC, the Etruscans, and later the Romans, transformed the estuary into a port providing anchorage for ships from all over the Mediterranean.
At the end of the 13 km ancient beaten track which leads from the ancient Caisra
(Cerveteri) to the port, excavations in 1957 unearthed the remains of a large sanctuary-emporium composed of two temples and a sacred area.
Both the church dedicated to the martyr Severa and the castle were built around the IX century. The Saracen tower, the cyclopean walls, the museum and the Etruscan visitors centre are also well
worth a visit.
Places of interest in the surrounding area:
Tolfa where you can visit the historic centre, the Cappuccini convent and the church of S. Maria Sughera. Allumiere, with its interesting historic centre and ancient alum mines.
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TARQUINIA
A journey through the Etruscan Tarchna to the Renaissance Corneto
In TARQUINIA the remains of Etruscan civilisation, and also towers and buildings dating back to medieval times can still be seen. The
National Etruscan Museum is housed in Palazzo Vitelleschi one of the most important buildings of the Gothic Renaissance.
Walk through the centre to admire the medieval buildings which inspired the local programme ‘Tarquinia a museum in the town ’ until you
come to the necropolis. The tombs in Tarquinia are completely buried and take the name of ‘ Monterozzi’ or mounds. The peculiarity of Tarquinia’s tombs (approx. ten of them are open to visitors) is that they are all decorated; on entering one has the impression of having been suddenly transported into one of their hunting lodges or into the houses of the most important Etruscan families
and of taking part in their feasts and traditions.
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TUSCANIA
Medieval architecture
Tuscania stands on a hill of tufa rock where the rivers of Marta and Maschiolo meet. It is a splendid medieval town lying between Tarquinia and Lake
Bolsena. The ancient village, dating back to the proto-historic era, was probably built on the hills of S. Pietro and Rivellino, in a dominating position over the valley of the river Marta. The city of the necropolis has been hypothetically located on the hill of S. Pietro, where the medieval church of the same name stands. The water drainage system made up of wells and underground
passages is probably all that remains of the Etruscan settlement. At the foot of Mount Rivellino lies the Roman Spa dating back to the II century AD.
Mount S. Pietro is renowned above all for the medieval church of the same name and other buildings of the same period such as the two noble towers
and the Bishops Palace (Palazzo Vescovile). The Romanesque-Lombard style church, with its large underground crypt, houses some Etruscan Sarcophagi sculptured in ‘nenfro’ (a local stone). The church and other monuments were destroyed in the earthquake which hit the town in February 1971, but thanks to painstaking restoration work, the church has rediscovered its ancient glory.
Another Romanesque church worthy of mention, is the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, situated not far from S. Pietro.
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VITERBO
From the Italian gardens of Bagnaia to the medieval quarters of the capital of Tuscia
The capital city of the Tuscia region has stayed wonderfully medieval. Surrounded by the triangle of its mighty walls, it is a place of
unexpected historical, artistic and environmental discoveries. The very centre of the town is Piazza del Plebiscito, dominated by the Clock Tower, embellished by the aristocratic coats of arms in the local stone of ‘peperino and nenfro’ and ornamented on the western side by the stupendous Palazzo dei Priori
with its fourth century facade and a charming courtyard with fountain and frescoed inside with works from the XV and XVI century.
Via San Lorenzo leads up to the oldest part of the town: Palazzo Chigi, the church of
San Silvestro, Piazza del Gesù, with a large fountain in the centre and the Romanesque church of the same name, Palazzo Farnese, and on up to the large square of San Lorenzo where the imposing Cathedral is situated. The Cathedral was built in 1192, while the facade in Renaissance style is from a later period.
To the immediate right of the Cathedral stands the Gothic Palazzo dei Papi (second half of the third century) with its historic Loggia, which has become the ‘emblem’, the symbol of the entire town. Continuing along Via San Lorenzo as far as the Fontana della Morte (the fountain of death) we reach the medieval quarter of San Pellegrino. This is certainly
the most picturesque part of the town; an almost untouched ‘contrada’ dating from the third century, with its artisan workshops and artist’s studios, lined with towers, austere houses, covered passageways, ‘profferli’ (external staircases) and mullioned windows.
A visit to Bagnaia is not to be missed: Villa Lante with its wonderful Italian gardens.
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V U L C I
Etruscan – Roman – Templarian
A day of art and nature
VULCI, one of the most ancient towns of the Etruscan confederation, is situated on high ground overlooking the river Fiora. The wonderful archaeological nature walk (walking at a comfortable pace,
even with children, the distance can be covered in two hours) starts at the West Gate and ends at the ancient Roman Bridge leading to the beautiful medieval Castello della Badia (Badia Castle) where the Etruscan Museum is housed. The route is well signposted with excellent explanatory maps next to the most interesting ruins. Especially recommended are the ruins of the Tempio Grande, the Domus
del criptoporticus and parts of the two original roads that crossed the city (the decuman and the cardo).
The route takes us over the wonderful high plateau overlooking the Fiora gorge with its characteristic Pelagone lake, through to the Castello della Badia.
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ROMA
Villa Torlonia – Casina delle Civette (The house of the
owls)
This architect’s whim was initially designed to be an alpine hermitage, a Swiss hut like those in English parks. It was finished in various different periods and is notable for its eclecticism of styles: Gothic arches, Medieval towers,
Renaissance balconies and Liberty style decorations which merge in an extravagant choice of colours and materials.
Museum of Liberty-style Stained Glass
The main characteristic of the Casina is the stained-glass which decorates the numerous doors, windows and bow windows which are made of leaded polychrome. The fanciful designs vary from geometrical to floral. The museum is an exploration of the history of stained-glass, an art which is not
very highly rated and often considered a lesser-art. Here however, it is shown for the first time in its own right as a skilled handicraft bordering on art.
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