Tufa · cisterns · tunnels · the Duomo store rooms
Orvieto Underground
A hidden city beneath the city: chambers carved into the tufa, working passages, cisterns and the striking tunnel beneath the Cathedral.
The hidden city
A city beneath the city
Beneath the streets, houses and churches of Orvieto runs a vast system of cavities carved into the tufa over centuries. The geology of the rock allowed its inhabitants to create store rooms, cisterns, tunnels and workshops that today tell a hidden part of the city’s history.
When people speak of the “Orvieto underground”, though, it is worth distinguishing between the large urban routes known as Orvieto Underground and the more specific tunnels beneath the Cathedral, which belong to the monumental route of the Duomo.
01 — The origins
Carving the tufa, living on the rock
The rock of Orvieto — soft enough to dig, firm enough to hold — made an extraordinary underground system possible. Over the centuries these spaces were adapted to different needs: storing water, keeping goods, craft workshops, dovecotes and internal passages between buildings.
Good to know
The official Orvieto Underground website describes around 1,200 caves rediscovered beneath the city, and a history of excavation stretching back some 2,500 years.
02 — The urban network
Tunnels, cavities and working spaces
Orvieto Underground presents the subsoil as a true “underground city”: a weave of cavities, openings and stacked chambers that tell the practical life of the town, from collecting water to craft and service activities.
The tufa rock of Orvieto: beneath the historic centre runs a dense network of carved chambers.
03 — Beneath the Cathedral
The tunnel under the transept and the chapels
The tunnels beneath the Cathedral are a different visit from the large urban route: the official Duomo website describes them as a striking tunnel of around 800 square metres, running under the transept and the chapels of the cathedral, which tells the story of the Duomo’s old store rooms and of the centuries-long work of the Fabbrica.
This route belongs to the visiting system of the Duomo’s monumental complex. The routes included in each type of admission are set by the Opera del Duomo and can change during the year.
04 — How to visit
Two different routes, not to be confused
Orvieto Underground
The guided tour starts from Piazza Duomo 23. The official website presents it as a visit of about one hour, available all year round at set times.
Official website →Tunnels beneath the Cathedral
These are part of the visit to the monumental complex of Orvieto Cathedral, managed by the Opera del Duomo.
Hours & tickets →For up-to-date information always check the official websites of the operators or of the Duomo di Orvieto.
Orvieto Underground → Cathedral underground →Quick answers