Orvieto Underground: This Massive Subterranean City in Italy Was Only Rediscovered After a Landslide in the 1970s

The urban legend of the “hollow mountain” turned out to be true.

Remember the massive underground city of Derinkuyu in Turkey, which a local resident discovered by accident after knocking down a wall in his basement? Or the equally fascinating 1500-year-old subterranean complex of Nushabad in Iran, also discovered accidentally by a resident while digging a sewage ditch in his home? Today, we will look at something equally amazing but this time in Italy: yet another vast underground complex discovered by accident (and interestingly around the same time as the former two).

Situated atop a dramatic volcanic bluff in the heart of Umbria, Italy, the medieval city of Orvieto attracts visitors with its stunning cathedral and picturesque streets. But beneath this charming surface lies an ancient secret – an entire subterranean world carved into the rock over millennia. Welcome to Orvieto Underground, a labyrinth of caves, tunnels, and chambers that offers a unique glimpse into the city’s long and complex history.

The story of Orvieto’s underground city begins with the ancient Etruscans, who first settled the site around the 9th century BCE. Recognizing the defensive advantages of the elevated plateau, they faced one significant challenge – access to water. Their clever solution was to dig deep wells and cisterns into the volcanic rock, creating a self-sufficient water supply that could withstand long sieges.

This early underground infrastructure proved its worth in 264 BCE when the Etruscan city (traditionally identified as Velzna, though this is now debated) held out against a Roman siege for two years before finally falling. The Romans and subsequent inhabitants of Orvieto continued and expanded upon this subterranean tradition, gradually creating a vast network beneath the city streets.

Over the centuries, Orvieto’s underground grew to encompass an estimated 1,200 caves, tunnels, and structures spread across multiple levels. This hidden realm served a variety of purposes. Water management remained key, with wells, cisterns, and aqueducts ensuring a stable supply for the city above. Food production and storage also found a home underground, with olive presses, pigeon breeding chambers (known as columbaria), and cool cellars for wine and food.

Workshops, including kilns for pottery production, benefited from the consistent temperature below the surface. Noble families constructed secret tunnels leading beyond the city walls for emergencies, while quarries provided building material and simultaneously created new underground spaces.

The result was a complex, interconnected system that mirrored and supported the life of the city above. However, as Orvieto modernized, many of these underground spaces fell into disuse and were largely forgotten. It wasn’t until a landslide in the 1970s that Orvieto’s spectacular underground world began to be rediscovered in earnest. A group of local speleologists, intrigued by urban legends of a hollow mountain, began exploring the numerous mysterious openings visible in the cliff face.

Their initial forays revealed a fascinating and sometimes eerie landscape. Rooms with walls covered in thousands of small niches (the columbaria) created an otherworldly atmosphere. Deep wells plunged vertically for tens of meters, marked with footholds carved by ancient hands. Narrow tunnels snaked into the heart of the rock, often ending in tantalizing blockages that hinted at undiscovered chambers beyond.

As archaeologists joined the exploration efforts, the true historical significance of Orvieto Underground became clear. Each cave and tunnel offered a window into a different era of the city’s past, from Etruscan water management to medieval oil presses and Renaissance escape routes.

Today, visitors can experience a taste of this subterranean wonder through guided tours. Tours depart regularly from the main square near the famous Duomo, lasting about an hour and covering two significant cave systems.

While only a small portion of the vast network is open to the public, it offers great insights. The columbaria, with their geometrically precise niches, stand as evidence of the importance of pigeon breeding in the medieval diet. Etruscan wells plunge to depths of 35 meters or more, showcasing the remarkable engineering skills of these ancient people.

A complete underground olive oil production facility, including millstones, press, furnace, and storage areas, offers a glimpse into medieval industry. Secret passages once used by Orvieto’s elite to flee the city in times of danger now spark the imagination of tourists. Throughout the tour, the cool, damp atmosphere of caves carved over millennia envelop the visitor, allowing them to connect directly with the city’s long history.

Although further digging is now limited to keep the city stable, Orvieto Underground still attracts both researchers and visitors. As you descend into the cool, dimly lit caverns, it’s easy to feel the weight of history pressing in from all sides. Each chisel mark on the walls, each ancient foothold in a well shaft, tells a story of the generations who shaped this underground city. It’s a uniquely immersive historical experience that well complements a visit to the better-known attractions of Orvieto above ground.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4