Area archeologica e Antiquarium di Veleia

About the museum

Veleia was a Roman municipium founded after the Roman conquest of the territory of the Ligurian Veleiates, starting in the 2nd century BC, on an earlier native settlement. The town developed on terraces along the slope of the Val Chero, in the Piacenza Apennines, and became an important centre of the area. Excavations began in 1760 at the wish of the Duke of Parma, after the chance discovery in 1747 of the Tabula Alimentaria of Trajan, one of the largest Roman inscriptions on bronze. The original is now in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale in Parma.

The centre of the town was the forum, built on an artificial terrace created by a large excavation and enclosed on three sides by a portico with shops and public rooms. On the south side stood the basilica, with a single nave, which held twelve marble statues of members of the Julio-Claudian family, now in Parma. The area also has remains of baths, houses, floors and water-management structures.

The Antiquarium (site museum), a building beside the excavations, holds the most delicate finds: pre-Roman burials, the cult area, public and private spaces, and a section devoted to funerary cults, with copies of the Tabula Alimentaria. A 2010 intervention re-displayed the remains and made the Antiquarium accessible. In winter the paved floors of the forum and the baths are covered to protect them from the weather.

Highlights

• Roman forum with portico and paved floor
• Basilica with the bases of the Julio-Claudian statues
• Remains of baths, houses and floors
• Antiquarium with statues, inscriptions and finds from the necropolis
• Copies of Trajan's Tabula Alimentaria

Permanent exhibitions

• Antiquarium di Veleia – Finds from the town of Veleia: pre-Roman burials, the cult area, public and private spaces, funerary cults and copies of the Tabula Alimentaria.
• Area archeologica di Veleia – Outdoor route through the forum, basilica, baths and houses of the Roman town.

Founded

1953

Operated by

Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Emilia-Romagna

Admission & discounts

Free admission: First Sunday of every month (Domenica al museo, Museum Sunday); the free ticket is collected at the site's ticket office.

Tickets are bought at the ticket office at the entrance to the area, in cash or by card. Free admission also applies to the categories provided for by the Ministry of Culture. Online purchase is not possible for the free Sundays.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

According to regional tourist sources, the archaeological area and the Antiquarium have barrier-free routes for people with reduced mobility, Braille panels, tactile maps and tactile captions in the Antiquarium. The park operator, however, reports slopes, steps and uneven ground in some areas and advises contacting the ticket office (+39 0523 807113) for alternative routes.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The site is in the Val Chero, about 45 minutes by car from Piacenza along the SP 14.

Amenities & dining

The site has toilets and free parking at the entrance. A catering facility also operates in the park (restaurant, bar, inn).

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit