THE UNDERGROUND ACROPOLIS
Underground Perugia is a journey through history, deeply intertwined with the buildings and the life that still flows through these places today.
It is the heart of a “submerged” city that finds continuity in its “emerged” layers above ground, creating both a monumental and conceptual connection within what is now known as the Island of San Lorenzo. Mystery and history envelop this underground city in a journey through the centuries, turning back the hands of time to the life of ancient Perusia.
It is a treasure chest of silent stone where ancient civilisations and legends intertwine with masterpieces of Etruscan engineering, glimpses of Roman life, and medieval papal intrigues. Visiting the archaeological area therefore means listening to the dialogue between past and present in a place whose roots lie deep within the earth while its body rises towards the sky.
ETRUSCAN PERUGIA
Over the centuries, what was once the acropolis of the Etruscan and later Roman city became an underground place and can still be considered the pulsating heart of the entire complex.
Forming the foundations of today’s Cathedral of San Lorenzo, Underground Perugia also confirms the area’s original religious vocation, as it was once dedicated to the worship of deities whose temples stood at the centre of the city as early as the seventh century BC. Foundation layers dating from the seventh century BC testify to the presence of a sacred building dedicated to the goddess Uni, later identified with the Roman Juno. Directly above it are the foundation stones of a second-century BC temple adorned with magnificent polychrome terracotta decorations.
During the second century BC, the sacred hill was enclosed by imposing walls composed of perfectly cut travertine blocks arranged in parallel rows and constructed without the use of mortar. This monumental work created the new architectural framework of the sacred hill and stood as a visible expression of the strength and power of the Etruscan people. The northern side of this great terrace rose to a height of more than fifteen metres and is still visible today within the archaeological area, displaying all of its imposing grandeur.
As time passed, the structure of the walls evolved, and during the medieval period part of them was reused as the foundation system for the buildings that today define the Island of San Lorenzo. These great terrace walls may therefore be considered the architectural DNA of the city, so much so that they have been described as “the walls that support Perugia”.
ROMAN PERUGIA
The idea of a city continuing to exist beneath the Cathedral of Perugia is both mysterious and fascinating, and walking along a section of the ancient decumanus, now underground, is even more evocative.
This road once formed part of the city’s street grid and still corresponds today to the layout of the modern urban network. Its importance and heavy use are clearly visible, as the basalt paving stones still bear the marks left by the wheels of Roman carts.
A further testimony to the life that once animated this underground area is provided by elements belonging to a first-century BC Roman domus. The impluvium used to collect rainwater, the cocciopesto flooring, the beauty of the decorative details discovered here, and the privileged location adjacent to the decumanus all testify to the wealth and prestige of this residence.
Even today, after more than two thousand years, the remains of this domus continue to recount a dramatic event that profoundly disrupted the social life of Perugia. On the walls uncovered by archaeologists, the traces left by the fire that destroyed the city in 40 BC are still clearly visible, shortly after it fell into the hands of Octavian’s Roman army. This burnt layer tells the story of the Bellum Perusinum, one of the most tragic moments in the city’s history, when the last stronghold of the Etruscan people was finally absorbed into the Roman Empire after becoming the centre of the political conflict between Mark Antony and Octavian.
The inscription Augusta Perusia, engraved upon the city’s main gates, became the symbol of this incorporation and of the city’s rebirth following its reconstruction after the devastating fire.
MEDIEVAL PERUGIA
Later medieval constructions used the ancient roadway as a base for the foundations of the buildings that gradually arose around the Cathedral. Among them stand out the residences of the canons, still in use today, and the remains of the palaces that housed the Popes who sought refuge in Perugia from Rome.
It was these buildings surrounding the medieval church that incorporated the terrace wall of the Etruscan acropolis, transforming what had once been a sacred area into the place where the canons stored food and wine. This change of use gave its name to one of the streets that still borders the Island of San Lorenzo today: Via delle Cantine (“Cellars Street”).
Over the following centuries, the palace of the Perugian Canonry became the centre of the city’s religious life and also played a major role in the history of the Papal States, hosting distinguished papal courts and no fewer than five conclaves between 1216 and 1305. The first pope elected in the city following the death of Innocent III was Honorius III. Both pontiffs participated in the official recognition of the Franciscan Rule and were therefore depicted in Giotto’s fresco cycle narrating the life of Saint Francis within the Basilica of Assisi.
Another famous pope elected after the Perugian conclave of 1294 was Celestine V, remembered in history as the one who “made the great refusal through cowardice”. Dante Alighieri placed the elderly monk Pietro da Morrone in Hell among the Opportunists, since his abdication paved the way for the pontificate of Boniface VIII.
ntrigue and scandal did not end there, and Perugia was also the setting for the death of Benedict XI, who was poisoned in 1304 during conflicts involving Philip the Fair, King of France. Following his death, Clement V was elected pope. His election marked a turning point in medieval history, as the French bishop initiated the Avignon Papacy by transferring the papal seat from Rome to Avignon. He is also remembered for suppressing the Order of the Knights Templar and for launching Perugia’s academic history through the official recognition of the city’s University in 1308.
VISIT
Location:
Piazza IV Novembre, 06123, Perugia (PG)
Isola San Lorenzo Ticket Office Opening Hours
Monday – Sunday
10.00 am – 7.00 pm
Guided Tour Times
Monday – Friday
Guided tours departing every 60 minutes
Saturday – Sunday and peak periods
Guided tours departing every 30 minutes
BOOKING REQUIRED
Visiting Information
Guided tour lasting approximately 45 minutes, including a Virtual Reality (VR) experience.
info@isolasanlorenzo.it
(+39) 0755724853
(+39) 075 8241011
(+39) 370 1581907
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