Orte Sotterranea

About

Orte Sotterranea opens a portal to an extraordinary subterranean world that has witnessed continuous life since the late Bronze Age. Visitors can walk through an intricate network of Roman-era cisterns, medieval stone wells, and underground chambers that once housed workshops, storerooms, and even a wine press. The tour begins at the famous “Pozzo di Neve,” a vaulted stone well that once stored snow for refrigeration, and travels through the main tunnel, orcunicolo, which served as a rainwater drainage system for the ancient city. Each passageway is a relic of its time: from the cemented “Cunicolo Principale” built in the 6th‑5th centuries BCE, to the 30‑meter-long side passages that reveal the engineering brilliance of the antiquarians. A highlight is the underground section of the “Vascellaro Arc,” where the layout of the Roman aqueduct accessible only through these caves is exhibited. The experience also showcases the fascinating “Pozzo di Coccoepesto,” a stone well partially converted into a granary during medieval times. The guided walk is carefully curated to conserve the delicate underground environment; the route takes approximately one and a half hours and is suitable for visitors of all ages. For those interested in the deeper layers, the museums in the city’s surface layer (Museo di Confraternite Orte and Museo di Arte Sacra) complement the underground narrative, giving context to the artifacts uncovered during the excavations.

Highlights

• Ancient Underground Water System
• Roman Cisterns and Tunnels
• Unique Tunnels of the City

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At a glance

• Typical visit: about 1 hour 30 minutes