CHIUSI AND ITS HISTORY
The origins of the town date back
to the 1st millenium B.C. In the 7th century B.C. Chiusi was one of the most illustrious members
of the Etruscan federation- a union between 12 Etruscan states- and under King Porsenna (6th
century) the city reached its greatest splendour.In 391.B.C. Chiusi was besieged by the Gauls
which marked the begginning of its decline and later became a Roman province. The city,
rebaptised Clusium, and its territory continued to have an important role and in 89 B.C its
inhabitantswere granted the Roman citizenship. In the 6th century A.D. Chiusi was occupied by
the Lombards and became a dukedom. Later, Emperor Charlemagne transformed Chiusi into a county.
Chiusi became a battlefield between Florence and Siena, being a faithful ally of the latter, the
city declined and only in the 19th century with the complete reclamation of the valley below did
it start reliving.
Today Chiusi is a flourishing country town, with excellent railway and motorway links: it lies
less than 150 km from Rome, a little more than 100 km from Florence and about 60 km from Siena.
Chiusi is close to important tourist centers such as: Chianciano, Montepulcino, Pienza, Orvieto,
Cortona, representing a valid starting-point for interesting historical-artistical excursions.
The nearby lakes of Chiusi, Montepulciano and Trasimeno as well as the uncontaminated Mountains
of Cetona and Amiata make it possible to enjoy a relaxing nature holiday.
A sojourn at Chiusi offers the possibility of very interesting and often
emotional encounters with past civilisation such as: the Etruscan era in the National
Archeological Museum and the many tombs located in the area, followed by the Roman era and
later by the Medieval era.
The most important are : The Catacombs of St. Mustiola and St. Caterina, the Etruscan-Roman
walls, the Etruscan Tombs, the Early Christian Cathedral of St.
Secondiano, the Church of San Francesco and the mediaval area.
Noteworthy, are the Cathedral Museum that conserves many treasures including the famous
Olivetan anthem books ( XV sec
A.C.) and the Bishop’s Garden with its important
archaeological excavations, from which one can enter into the stimulating tunnels of
Porsenna’s labyrinth that crosses the entire square and lead to a big Roman cistern
(1st cen. B.C.). From the cistern it is possible to go up into the Cathedral Bell
Tower (built in the 12th cen. as a defense tower)that dominates not
only the city but all the surrounding where Chiusi’s lake stands out.
CATACOMBS
These Christian cemeteries from the middle of the 3rd century are the only ones in Tuscany and
the fourth in order of importance after Rome, Naples and Siracusa.
ST. MUSTIOLA’S CATACOMBS were discovered in 1634, but only in 1831 all its galleries were
cleared. The excavations brought to light a considerable number of inscriptions, which were
scratchedin the sandstone or carved on the gravestones.Two of these epitaphs deserve special
mention:one regards Chiusi’s first bishop “Lucio Petronio Dextro” , who was burried on 10
December 322; the other little “Aurelius Melitius”, a “Fedelis Peregrinus” passed away during
the fifth prayer of the Easter Vigil.The catacombs extend for 200m and lie at 1.8 km distance
from the town, in the direction of Chiusi’s lake.
St. Catherins's
Catacombs were discovered in 1847.Inside the catacombs both Christian
and pagan inscriptions were found and several archaeological objects like a great decorated urn
of travertine that shows a male figure wearing a toga with fasces on his left and right side.
The catacombs are situated at about one km. from the old town, along the Via Cassia in the
neighbourhood of Chiusi’s railway station.
The catacombs were in use until the end of the 5th
century, when they were interred as a form of protection.
ETRUSCAN TOMBS
Of
the numberless tombs scattered in the territory of Chiusi(violated, robbed and systematically
emptied since antiquity, but especially in the 18th and 19th centuries,)two are open to the
visitors:The Tomb of the Lion (5th century B.C.) and The Tomb of the Pellegrina(2nd century
B.C.)
St.Francesco . The church in Gothic- Franciscan style was built
in the 13th cent. Whereas the two finely sculptured portals are Romanesque. Inside there are a
wooden choir from the 15th cent, canvases and frescos from the 15th to 17th cent. And a crucifix
attributed to Vecchietta(15th cent.)
ST. SECONDIANO’S CATHEDRAL
Chiusi’s cathedral (6th cent.) one of Tuscany’s oldest churches, still preserves the
essentials of an Early Christian basilica. The precious marble columns, the mosaic pavement and
the alabaster font date from the Roman period. The dosserets from the 6th cent.A.D are decorated
with a fine series of images and Christian symbols in intaglio. The solemn paintings and the
facade are the fruits of a restoration at the end of the eighteenhundreds, realised by A.
Viligiardi and G. Partini. The monument on the left side of the entrance contained the relics of
the virgin and martyr “ Santa Mustiola”, patron saint of the town and of diocese (solemn feast
on 3 July).
CATHEDRAL MUSEUM
was inaugurated in 1984 and is divided into 4 sections:
Inscriptions and sculpture: In the first part of the museum various objects from the first
centuries of Christianity to the 9th cent. Are on display.
Room with
silverware: This section hosts a permanent exposition of silverware, works and furnishings of
the cathedral from the 15th to 19th cent.
Anthem books: The collection
consists of 21 codices from the 15th cent. With miniatures of famous artists like Sano di
Pietro, Venturino Mercati, Francesco di Giorgio Martini, Bartolomeo Varnucci
4th section: This part of the museum was inaugurated only in 1992 and comprises paintings, gold
and silver objects from the 15th to the 18th cent., coming from the various parish churches of
the diocese.
PORSENNA’S LABYRINTH
From the museum one enters Porsenna’s
Labyrinth, an underground historic-archaeological passage through the sites of Etruscan, Roman
and medieval Chiusi, that ends in the bell-tower from which one enjoys a superb panorama.
THE NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM OF CHIUSI,
created in 1871, was transffered in 1902 in the neoclassical building where it is now the
actual centre. The size of the Museum was doubled in 1932 to host the materials from the
Paolozzi Collections and Mieli Servadio, was damaged by a bomb during the Second World War and
became a state institution in 1963.
The current display , opened to the public in1992 , is divided into three sections , all
accompanied by descriptions, explanatory models, educational films.
The introductory section is devoted to the history of archaeological discoveries made at Chiusi
during the past centuries, the formation of the Museum and the documentation of restoration and
the falsification of archaeological objects, rife in Chiusi during the 19th century.
The central section describes the development of local artistic handicrafts: well-known are the
canopic vases, anthropomorphic cinerary urns made at Chiusi, the funerary sculpture in “pietro
fetida”, stamped bucchero vases of local fabric,local architectural terracottas dated to the
Archaic and Classical Ages.
In the third section , the topographical section , which gathers the material found in the
recent excavations, was reconstructed the development of Chiusi’s urbanisation,the process of
habitation within the territory of Chiusi.
Adjoining the Museum there is a restauration lab which is open to group visits if booked in
advance.
LAKE CHIUSI
The lake, all that remains of the Valdichiana marshes, is
an interesting natural environment.
