🕯️ The Underground of Viterbo: the Hidden Heart of the City

Giano di Vico
Jun 23
2 min read

🕯️ The Underground of Viterbo: the Hidden Heart of the City

Walking through the streets of Viterbo already feels like flipping through the pages of an ancient book.But descending beneath those streets… that’s something else.It’s like opening a secret chapter—one written by candlelight.

Viterbo’s underground tells stories the city doesn’t show in daylight:a silent world of tunnels, hidden passages, crypts, secret wells, and legends that can shake even the bravest heart.

📜 Origins: who built them—and why?

Viterbo’s underground network began in Etruscan times, but it was greatly expanded during the Middle Ages, in turbulent centuries marked by war and siege.

Why build them?

Escape routes: emergency tunnels to flee the city in case of invasion
Secret connections: hidden paths linking convents, palaces, and fortifications
Commercial routes: discreet transport of goods, water, and provisions
Crypts and storage: places to hide treasures… or bodies

👉🏻 A city beneath the city.

✨ Legends and mysteries beneath Viterbo

The Templar Tunnel:It is said the Knights Templar had a secret passage between San Pellegrino and Santa Maria in Gradi, used to protect sacred relics.
The Door of the Invisible:Deep below Piazza della Morte (an ominous name to begin with), lies a sealed door, known as “The Door of the Invisible,” said to lead to secret chambers filled with forbidden relics and ancient codes.
The screams in the dark:Some claim to have heard muffled cries on moonless nights near Porta San Pietro.Locals whisper that these are the wails of souls who never managed to escape enemy sieges.

🎯 What to expect from a visit to the underground

Visiting Viterbo’s underground is not just about curiosity—it’s a journey for the senses.

Dim lights drawing eerie shadows on the peperino stone walls
The smell of ancient earth and moss, like time itself breathing
Deep silence, broken only by your footsteps and the quickening beat of your heart

👉🏻 Some tunnels are well-lit and safe, guided by expert staff.👉🏻 Others—more adventurous—are open only during special events or night tours (goosebumps guaranteed).

Average duration: about 1 hourPro tip: bring sturdy shoes, a sweater (it’s cool even in summer), and… a pinch of courage.