Vetulonia archaeological site is open all day. The museum is being restored.
The district of Castiglione della Pescaia includes the town of Vetulonia which was one of the richest and most flourishing towns of northern Etruria mentioned in important ancient literary sources.
Founded in the iron age (9th century B.C.) in the Bruna valley which was undoubtedly inhabited in prehistoric times, Vetulonia was originally composed of two distinct centres which were unified in the 7th century as can be deduced from the distribution of the sunken tombs dug into the surrounding hills not far from the town.
The most typical feature of the town is that these sunken tombs are inserted into a great circle of stone, from which derives the name "tombe a circolo" ( circle tombs).
The splendid and famous monumental tombs date to the 7th century and include the famous Tomba della Pietrera,
which is visible along Via dei Sepolcri. In the town centre in the little church of S. Simone stand the imposing ruins of the ancient Etruscan circle of the town walls composed of enormous blocks of polygonal stone dating to 6th century B.C.
At the end of the main street, Via Garibaldi, a lane to the left leads to the village cemetery where the entrance to the recently opened excavations can be found Costa del Lippi and Costa Murata.
In the first a paved road has been uncovered flanked by several walls recognisable as dwellings of the hellenic age (III-II century B.C.) before the construction of the road. From an uphill path one reaches the Costa Murata where a rectangular shaped building is visible identified as a "domus" with wide "atrium" and central water cistern (II-1 century B.C.).
Immediately outside the inhabited part of the town descending the street are the ruins of a Hellenic dwelling area (III-I century B,C,) called "scavi della citta". One can see a road with pavement and efficient drainage system flanked by shops and houses. Proceeding along the same street and turning at the signposted junction we descend into Via dei Sepolcri which leads to the monumental tombs of the Etruscan necropolis dating to the 7th century B.C.. The first on the left is the Tomba del Belvedere with a quadrangular chamber and short "dromos" entrance. A few hundred metres on stands the famous Tomba della Pietrera presently closed to the public restoration.
Proceeding along the road we come across numerous unexplored
tombs. Another monumental tomb is the I)iavolino II (the Diavolino I was reconstructed at the the Archaeological Museum in Florence at the end of the 19th century'). Shortly ahead a path on the left leads to the Tomba della Fibula d'Oro
of more modest dimensions. On the dirt track in the direction of the provincial road shortly before the junction one can turn left on to a country road which leads to Badia Vecchia, a manor house which today includes the ruins of the Abbey of S. Bartolomeo a Sestinga founded in the 11th century.
At the locality Case di Vetulonia which can be reached from the provincial road (SP 23) in the direction of Castiglione about 500 metres from the junction, there is an interesting architectural complex, with a medieval tower, transformed into a farm.
Founded in the iron age (9th century B.C.) in the Bruna valley which was undoubtedly inhabited in prehistoric times, Vetulonia was originally composed of two distinct centres which were unified in the 7th century as can be deduced from the distribution of the sunken tombs dug into the surrounding hills not far from the town.
which is visible along Via dei Sepolcri. In the town centre in the little church of S. Simone stand the imposing ruins of the ancient Etruscan circle of the town walls composed of enormous blocks of polygonal stone dating to 6th century B.C.
At the end of the main street, Via Garibaldi, a lane to the left leads to the village cemetery where the entrance to the recently opened excavations can be found Costa del Lippi and Costa Murata.
In the first a paved road has been uncovered flanked by several walls recognisable as dwellings of the hellenic age (III-II century B.C.) before the construction of the road. From an uphill path one reaches the Costa Murata where a rectangular shaped building is visible identified as a "domus" with wide "atrium" and central water cistern (II-1 century B.C.).
Immediately outside the inhabited part of the town descending the street are the ruins of a Hellenic dwelling area (III-I century B,C,) called "scavi della citta". One can see a road with pavement and efficient drainage system flanked by shops and houses. Proceeding along the same street and turning at the signposted junction we descend into Via dei Sepolcri which leads to the monumental tombs of the Etruscan necropolis dating to the 7th century B.C.. The first on the left is the Tomba del Belvedere with a quadrangular chamber and short "dromos" entrance. A few hundred metres on stands the famous Tomba della Pietrera presently closed to the public restoration.
Proceeding along the road we come across numerous unexplored
tombs. Another monumental tomb is the I)iavolino II (the Diavolino I was reconstructed at the the Archaeological Museum in Florence at the end of the 19th century'). Shortly ahead a path on the left leads to the Tomba della Fibula d'Oro
of more modest dimensions. On the dirt track in the direction of the provincial road shortly before the junction one can turn left on to a country road which leads to Badia Vecchia, a manor house which today includes the ruins of the Abbey of S. Bartolomeo a Sestinga founded in the 11th century.
At the locality Case di Vetulonia which can be reached from the provincial road (SP 23) in the direction of Castiglione about 500 metres from the junction, there is an interesting architectural complex, with a medieval tower, transformed into a farm.
