Assisi Underground – Guided visits to the Roman domus
Hidden in the foundations of Assisi are part of the town's oldest history, which reveals its past as a Roman colony: until May, every Sunday, you can to take part in guided visits in the Domus of Propertius and the Domus of Lararium, a unique occasion to discover places that have stood the test of time, revealing to us this "small Pompeii".
Both the domus are richly decorated, with original marble floors and stunning frescoes which show the wealth of the owners and the high level of skill of the workers.
The Domus of Propertius, discovered under the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, is made of three adjoining rooms which have numerous examples of graffiti on the walls, including verses of poetry, one of which cites a domus musae: for this reason it is believed that the house could have belonged to the poet Propertius. However this theory has never been proved due to lack of archaeological or historical evidence.
The Domus of Lararium, under Palazzo Giampè, is located seven metres below street level. One of its most interesting features is the presence of its surviving walls, discovered in an exceptional state of preservation in all of the rooms, a rarity outside of Rome and Pompeii, which are 4 metres high.
This domus may only be viewed from above to guarantee the preservation of the splendid mosaics and frescoes that have been recently restored.
Opening times with guided visits
From February to May: every Sunday at 15:00 departing from the IAT (Tourist Information of Assisi - Piazza del Comune, 22).
Cost: € 8.00 per person; € 4.00 for children aged 7 to 14; free for children under 7.
Special openings: 26th, 27th and 28th March, Monday 25th April.
Information and booking:
Info & guided tours 075.8138680
Tourism Office - Palazzo dei Priori Piazza del Comune, 06081 Assisi (PG) - Italy
Email: info@iat.assisi.pg.it
Web: visit-assisi.it