Necropolis of Pianezze

Necropolis of Pianezze

One of the most interesting places to visit in the Grotte di Castro area is the necropolis of Pianezze. It is an archaeological park of rare beauty located along the road that leads to the shores of the lake surrounded by wild and luxuriant nature. According to scholars, the tombs found in the Pianazze necropolis were in use between the seventh and fifth centuries BC, particular funeral mausoleums defined in technical jargon as “chamber tombs” which are characterized by having been excavated in the tuffaceous ridge of the hill. Inside the necropolis, rich funeral objects have also been recovered and are now exhibited in the Civic Museum of Grotte di Castro. In the Pianezze site there are thirty tombs each with a specific particularity, some show interesting rock representations inside, others are distinguished by their particular shape. The necropolis is an important testimony of the ancient past of Grotte di Castro and of the whole area of Lake Bolsena, a mysterious and fascinating symbol of an ancient community, the Etruscan one, which has lived on these lands for centuries. The Archaeological Park can be visited during the opening hours of the Archaeological Museum of Grotte di Castro, where all the finds found in this site are kept.