VITERBO - Tourists who spend the holidays in Tuscia can participate in fascinating tours in the historic center of the city, guided tours of the Underground Viterbo with delicious tastings of typical products of the Etruscan land. Expert guides will accompany visitors on a rich itinerary to discover the enchanting Viterbo, revealing interesting stories, unique anecdotes and nice curiosities. Each tour also includes a visit to the suggestive underground tunnels of Viterbo, an unmissable attraction in the historic center of Viterbo. The staff of Tesori d 'Etruria is ready to welcome and transport children and youngsters into the world of the fantastic and imaginary through a vast series of activities and emotional paths that also enchant parents.
New events that together with the new Museum of the Knights Templar enrich the offer of Tesori d 'Etruria and its Viterbo Underground, which have now become a real cultural and entertainment point of reference in Viterbo, the Etruscan "Surna".
From the historical itineraries of the Etruscan and medieval Viterbo, to the emotional concerts of cultured and refined music, to the themed tastings of the products of the Etruscan lands.
And for very special guests, children, Tesori d 'Etruria has decided to prepare a special welcome during the holidays and at the Underground Viterbo it is possible to take a guided tour of the magical galleries under the Etruscan city, right in the heart of the center Viterbo historic center.
The particular setting, the excellent play of lights, combined with the charm of Viterbo Underground, make this visit unique in the eyes of Italian and foreign visitors.
It is an excellent opportunity to spend the holidays with your family to discover the underground secrets accompanied by the stories of the tourist guides of Viterbo Underground; a visit that leads to the discovery of these magical places on a journey through history over 3,000 years.
THE UNDERGROUND VITERBO PATH
Viterbo underground is composed of a network of tunnels that extend under the historic center and lead up to the walls. The path is completely excavated in the tuff, a volcanic rock that characterizes the internal landscape of Viterbo.
The origin of the tunnels is very ancient. According to some accredited theories, advanced by scholars and archaeologists, the first cut in the tuff dates back to pre-Etruscan times. And in the Etruscan, then medieval period, these places took on the current shape: raised, enlarged and lengthened, the underground tunnels became an authentic labyrinth.
The secret and ritual passages, according to some scholars, served to communicate the sacred structures in the Etruscan origins of the nascent Surna, today Viterbo.
In the Middle Ages, however, some tunnels led to the main exits of the city and ensured the escape route to Viterbo in case of danger or siege. More recently the dungeons were exploited by brigands for their shady business and during the Second World War they were used as air raid shelters during the bombing.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC DURING THE HOLIDAYS EVEN THE NEW AND ENCHANTING UNDERGROUND ROUTE
The spectacular new route of Viterbo Underground is also open to the public. Very suggestive environments that enchant the visitor.
The Underground route excites and amazes visitors not only for the size of the spaces, but also for the suggestion that they evoke thanks to their ancient history.
From pre-Etruscan to medieval tunnels, from World War II refuges to the "studiolo" made at the time by tombaroli, from medieval "butti" to ancient pre-Etruscan passages, up to an environment of great charm: the most ancient place of worship, underground, in the historic center.
The underground circuit of Via Chigi was excavated within the most characteristic volcanic formation of the Vico apparatus: the red tuff with black slag (Ignimbrite c). The term ignimbrite derives from the Greek: ignis (fire) and imbris (rain), and describes the methods of deposition of this particular rock which occurs through imposing pyroclastic flows, i.e. an incandescent flow consisting of a turbulent set of gas and solid parts (pumice , lava, ashes, lapilli) also of decimetric dimensions. The famous eruption of Vesuvius that destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum is an example of a pyroclastic flow.
In our case, the ignimbritic deposit originated from the collapse of the paleo-volcano of Vico, an imposing building that stood where the lake of the same name now stands, reaching far greater heights than the current Monte Fogliano and Poggio Nibbio, and which extended up to Castel d'Asso, on the southern outskirts of Viterbo. This explosive event took place between 200 and 150 thousand years ago. For this reason, the underground circuit of Viterbo Underground describes a geological period of thousands of years.
Among the tunnels present in the Underground Viterbo, in particular one, large and perfectly oval shaped, according to some it is an ancient ritual way used to reach sacred areas of the ancient pre-Etruscan places.
A spectacular Etruscan tunnel is also visible: in this case an ancient corridor linked to the retrieval of water, probably used for underground sacred rites.
The new monumental complex of Viterbo Underground can be visited every day with a dedicated guided tour that leads to the discovery of these magical places, a journey through history spanning thousands of years.
Viterbo Underground: the Museum of the Knights Templar, the warrior monks is also open for holidays
In Viterbo Underground, the staff of Tesori d 'Etruria is ready to welcome and transport visitors during the holidays also to the world of the Knights Templar through a wide range of activities and emotional itineraries in the Historical Didactic Museum of the Knights Templar, unique in Italy.
A spectacular new reality that enriches the offer of Tesori d'Etruria and its Viterbo Underground, which have now become a real cultural and entertainment reference point in the capital of Tuscia and in central Italy.
As you well know, the birth of the order of the Knights of the Temple is located in the Holy Land, at the center of the wars between Christian and Islamic forces that broke out after the first crusade of 1096. At that time the roads of the Holy Land were crossed by pilgrims from all over the world Europe, often attacked and looted. Around 1118 a small group of knights founded the original nucleus of the Templar order, with the task of ensuring the safety of the numerous European pilgrims who continued to visit Jerusalem. The order was made official in 1128, assuming a monastic rule, thanks to Bernardo di Chiaravalle.
The Templars and Viterbo, an indispensable combination, with many points of contact since the origin of the Order, a sort of Templar birthright of Viterbo in Europe. All this above all thanks to Pope Eugene III, in exile, more than once, from Rome to Viterbo. Right here, in 1145, Pope Eugene III, with the bull Militia Dei, gave the Templar Order the opportunity to collect tithes, burial taxes and other payments.
In the same year, also from Viterbo, Eugene III, with the bubble Quantum Praedecessores, begins the second Crusade, as soon as he learned that the Assyrian city of Edessa had fallen into the hands of the fearsome Imad al-Din Zengi who, with the capture of Edessa, he wanted to answer and contrast the bewitching preaching action put in place by Bernardo di Chiaravalle.
In Paris, 2 years later, Eugene III presided over the general capitulum of 130 Knights Templar under the command of Evrard des Barrès. After the capitulum general, Eugene III formalizes the adoption of the patent cross as a symbol of the Templars, who already use the patriarchal cross, delivered thirty years earlier by Varmondo di Picquigny, patriarch of Jerusalem, to the first Templars. The patent cross takes on particular significance only among the Knights Templar who adopt it as an emblem.
These and many other stories about the warrior monks, who blend the history of the Knights Templar with the myth, can be discovered by visitors in a fascinating journey through time with a visit to the historical-didactic museum of the Knights Templar in Viterbo Underground.
In Viterbo Sotterranea the Befana family format that bewitches adults and children
For the duration of the holidays, until the day of the Befana, the tourist center Tesori d'Etruria and its Viterbo Underground will continue to give strong emotions to young and old with special guided tours to discover the magic of the Etruscan and medieval city and well two underground paths. Experienced tour guides are ready to transport children and parents to the fantastic world of the imagination, on a journey of over 3,000 years.
On the day of the Befana, Viterbo Underground also has tasty and fun family-sized surprises in store. On Monday 6 January, in fact, guests visiting the underground of Tesori d'Etruria will be offered tastings of sweet products from the Etruscan lands.
Furthermore, for all visitors who will be dressed as befane and befanoni, the visit to Viterbo Sotterranea will be completely free.
It is an excellent opportunity to spend the Befana festival with your family to discover the underground secrets of the Etruscan city, accompanied by the stories of the tourist guides of Viterbo Underground; a visit that leads to the discovery of these magical places.
It will also be possible to participate in enchanting tours in the wonderful historic center of Viterbo, the Etruscan Surna.
Viterbo Sotterranea this year offers the public a great novelty: in addition to the classic underground route, the doors of the new monumental route will also open. Viterbo Underground has in fact been enriched with a further and extraordinary underground circuit, located in via Chigi, which excites and amazes not only for the size of the spaces but also for the suggestion that these evoke thanks to their ancient history.
From the Etruscan to the medieval tunnels, from the refuges of the Second World War to the "studiolo" made at the time by the tombaroli, from the "medieval butto" to the Etruscan water pipes, up to an environment of great charm: the oldest place of worship underground of the historic center of Viterbo. There is also an ancient tunnel, probably of ritual use, from the pre-Etruscan era. Spectacular places that enchant adults and children.
For more information and news:
Treasures of Etruria, Piazza della Morte, 1 Viterbo
338.8618856 0761.220851
email: welcome@tesoridietruria.it
www.tesoridietruria.it