Charming Chiusi

I was enjoying a wonderful stay at Villa Vignacce and had heard many wonderful things about Chiusi so as soon as I had finished my breakfast I took the car and headed over there.

Chiusi which is in the south of Valdichiana has a fantastic landscape of beautiful rolling hills and countryside; the town is beautiful and will be of huge interest to people with a love of archaeology. The city has preserved its seventeenth century appearance and is a great place to visit for a glimpse of Italy post the Leopoldinan Reformation. Further in the city there are relics from the Etruscan and Roman civilization including monuments and archaeological sites.

The city is grand and has many great places for visitors to enjoy and I could devote three chapters to the wonder of this city. However in the spirit of blogs I will try to give a few suggestions of what to do.

In the sixth and seventh centuries BC, Chiusi was one of 12 major cities in the “Etruscan League” crucial in King Porsenna´s powerful struggle with Rome when the alliance ended with Emperor Tarquin – who was named “Magnificent”; the pair reached agreements on their respective territories and Porsenna was given Chiusi.

More information and ornaments are in the Archaelogical Museum in Chiusi, and visitors with a love of History will find lots on the Etruscan, Greeks and Roman periods. The museum is a great place to discover the great history of the city.

I would also recommend taking a trip to the “Porsenna Labyrinth” which is an intricate series of passages built, initially, to pass water from one part of the city to another.

The Chiusi Cathedral of Romanesque origin had the interior painted by Antonio Viliardi in the nineteenth century, rejuvenating the appearance of the Roman mosaics. The artist did a fantastic job and the interior is perfectly in keeping with the authentic Roman mosaic beneath the high altar.

The Cathedral has an interesting museum, located in the cloister, which has a great number of Roman sculptures and medieval Lombard, plus a collection of priceless sacred books.

Right next to the city there are Etruscan tombs; there are two which are perfectly preserved "Tomba della Scimmia" and "Tomba del Leone" and I recommend a visit because they are outstandingly beautiful.

The city has a great number of Christian Catacombs which are all worth a visit.

If you don’t want to hire a car then fear not, there are many guided tours that operate direct services to the Archaeological Museum and the Cathedral Museum.

Well, now I am off to Chianciano Terme and I will tell you what I discover there!

Sylvia