Roman Cisterns

About

The Roman cisterns of Fermo, constructed in the 1st century BC, are a spectacular example of Roman engineering that once supplied water to the city of Firmum Picenum. Spanning about 30 by 70 metre, the complex contains 30 underground chambers built with opus caementicium (ancient Roman waterproof concrete). Each room offers a small water inlet, and the entire system could hold roughly 3,000 cubic metres (110,000 ft³) of water, with the water level reaching 70 centimetres on average. Perched 310 metres above sea level, the cisterns lie in the hilltop district of Fermo, providing visitors with a rare glimpse into the city’s Roman past and a dramatic contrast to its medieval surroundings. Today, the cisterns are a popular historic site, allowing visitors to walk through the vaulted chambers and appreciate the scale and preservation of this ancient water‑storage system.

At a glance

• Typical visit: about 30 minutes