Tarquinia
Visit itinerary
Upon entering the town, one is in Piazza Cavour where the visitor is immediately impressed by the size of Palazzo Vitelleschi, the seat of the national museum. To the south of the square one takes via Umberto I, and enters the Castro Nuovo area where it is possible to admire, in Piazza Belvedere, the church of S. Antonio, in Roman-gothic style and the church of Santa Lucia.Still near Via Umberto I, it is possible to admire the church of San Giovanni Battista (XIII century): the coat of arms of the Knights of Malta, located on the central door, is surmounted by a beautiful rose window with a halo of small columns. Taking via della Salute, after turning left in Via Garibaldi, one reaches Piazza Matteotti on the left side of which there is the church of the Suffrage, a splendid example of Roman baroque.Nearby surges the large Roman style municipal building (XI century) with ample pieces of baroque.From Piazza Matteotti, following the tree-lined Dante Alighieri, one reaches a lookout situated above the city walls, from where one can enjoy a splendid view of the valley, the hills of Civita and the Necropolis.Going back one turns to the left down Via di Porta Tarquinia and finds Palazzo Scotti which dates back to the 1700's. The immediate vicinity still maintains a building style of medieval origin, the most characterizing element of which is surely the large complex of S. Francesco (church and convent of the XIII century). Going down Via San Leonardo, in front of the church, another interesting building is the Palazzo called of the Marchese, with a courtyard that dates back to the 1400's. Going down Via Garibaldi, one reaches a very small and suggestive square next to the ex-church of San Pancrazio (XIII century); nearby is the Palazzo dei Priori, obtained by joining various pre-existing buildings. Behind the Municipal Building and the Palazzo dei Prior there is a district that is suggestively rich and important for understanding this medieval city. Here one can admire the church of the Santissima Annunziata (XII-XIII century) with a Roman façade and a portal with Sicilian-Norman motifs.On Via San Giacomo one should note the small Roman church of the Santissimo Salvatore and that of San Giacomo Apostolo (XII century).At this point, going back to the Annunziata, one comes to a square dominated by the church of San Martino (one of the most ancient in Tarquinia) and a tall tower. Returning to Palazzo dei Priori, one follows Via delle Torri where it is possible to view the ruins of two towers and the church of the Holy Spirit that dates back to the 1600's, From here one reaches Piazza Santo Stefano from which it is possible to view, on one stretch of Via delle Torri, the battlement of the Barocci tower, and on the other the tower of the Dragons.
From the square it is possible to view the apsidal area of the Dome, the ancient church of Santa Margherita, of medieval origin, which in 1435 became the Cathedral of Corneto, rebuilt in 1656 and restored in the 1800's.Following the nearby Via Mazzini, one reaches the Palazzo Vitelleschi; continuing down Via di Porta Castello one reached the most ancient center of Medieval Tarquinia: here rises the tower of the seminary (to the right) and the great double door that opens for the height of one bastion of the medieval city wall.Past the towers under the doors one reached the church of Santa Maria di Catello, next to which rises a tall tower.Going back down Via Valverde, towards the San Giusto barrier, one finds the church of Santa Maria di Valverde, remodeled inside in the 1400's.