Type:

Luoghi della cultura; Ente/Istituzione

Category:

Museums

The Roman Cisterns The ancient Cisterne Romane are located under Piazza del Popolo—corresponding to the same public life area as the ancient Roman Forum—that all current public and religious buildings in Todi overlook today. The complex of Cisterns represents the main monument of hydraulic engineering of the town. Designed in Roman times, the visitor has the opportunity of exploring it by following a suggestive pathway in the underground of Todi, to discover the rich hypogenic cultural heritage. The Roman cisterns are part of the “Parco Culturale della Città”—The Town Cultural Park—Museum itinerary. The monumental complex consists of two twin Cisterns. The cistern to the west extends along Palazzo del Capitano—where the Museo Archeologico e Pinacoteca Comunale are housed—and goes under Palazzo dei Priori; the second cistern runs parallel to the first one, extends under the initial tract of Via del Monte and then continues under Via della Valle Inferiore and Via Mazzini. Analogous in dimension and shape—50 by 8 meters—they have a rectangular plan and are subdivided internally into twelve interconnected chambers. This work of hydraulic engineering that used to supply the hill with water constitutes a rich underground heritage of the town, which has a thick network of wells, galleries and cisterns of every age. Coeval to the Forum main square, they underwent a first intervention of restoration at the beginning of the 2nd century A.D.