What to see in Chiusi, an itinerary including the main monuments and places of interest, including the Labyrinth of Porsenna, the National Archaeological Museum and the Duomo, with the adjoining Cathedral museum.
Tourist information
Located on a gentle hill in the territory of the Val di Chiana in the province of Siena, Chiusi is a city that boasts very ancient origins, known for being one of the most prosperous cities of the Etruscan dodecapoli, as well as an important center in the Roman and Lombard ages.
During the Middle Ages it went through a long period of decline, characterized by the swamping of the Chiana valley, completely reclaimed only in the nineteenth century.
The city, which still preserves the plan of a Roman military camp, has a subsoil crossed by a labyrinth of Etruscan galleries, while the Fortress, better known as Rocca del Conte Bulgaro, occupies the area corresponding to the highest point of the splendid town.
The Cathedral of Chiusi, dedicated to San Secondiano, was built in the mid-sixth century on older buildings, rebuilt in the twelfth century and subsequently renovated during the Renaissance and the nineteenth century.
Its interior represents a prestigious example of paleochristian art, formed by three large naves divided by eighteen different columns, coming from even older buildings.
The bell tower of the Cathedral stands isolated, the result of the transformation which took place in 1585 of a massive defense tower.
Under the bell tower there is a Roman cistern, probably dating back to the 1st century BC. and formed by two rooms with a barrel vault, which constitutes the arrival point of the labyrinth of Porsenna, whose entrance is located at the Cathedral Museum, located in Piazza Duomo, where the bishop's palace also stands, connected to the Cathedral by a portico.
What see
The museum preserves objects ranging from the first centuries of Christianity to the nineteenth century, while the Labyrinth of Porsenna, with its fascinating Etruscan tunnels, is traditionally linked to the mythical Etruscan king Porsenna, as it was believed to be the labyrinth of his mausoleum .
The visit to the Labyrinth of Porsenna ends in the bell tower, from whose top you can admire a beautiful panorama.
The National Etruscan Archaeological Museum is housed in a building specially built between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, in Neoclassical style.
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The exhibition, rich in finds, is among the most important for the study and knowledge of the history of the Etruscan civilization.
The ticket also includes a visit to the famous Etruscan tombs, the Pellegrina and the Monkey, which are located about 2 kilometers from the town on the road to Lake Chiusi.
The Civic Museum of the underground city, accessible only with guided tours, offers suggestive itineraries concerning the presentation of the city's underground system, in addition to the section dedicated to the Etruscan funerary epigraphy, set up in underground tunnels, and the visit to the famous underground lake.
Patron of the city is Santa Mustiola, buried in 274 in a catacomb located outside the town, along the road leading to Lake Chiusi, subsequently the body was transferred to the Cathedral of San Secondiano.
About 2 km from the historic center, along Via Cassia Aurelia I, there is another catacomb, that of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria or delle Ruote, which takes its name from a chapel dedicated to the Saint that was located in the hill above.
The catacombs are only accessible through guided tours.
