Area archeologica di Libarna

About the museum

Libarna was founded as a Roman city in the 1st century BC in a strategic position overlooking the valley, keeping a pre-Roman name; the territory had been frequented since the Neolithic. The building of the Via Postumia in 148 BC favoured its development, which reached its peak in the imperial period, between the 1st and 2nd centuries AD.

The city included a forum square, temples, a theatre, a 2nd-century AD amphitheatre, baths and private residential complexes. In late antiquity and the early Middle Ages it shrank to a village, and the population moved to the more easily defended centres of Serravalle and Arquata. The site was rediscovered in the 19th century during works for the Strada Regia dei Giovi (1821–1823) and for the Turin–Genoa (1850) and Milan–Genoa (1911) railways.

Today about a tenth of the city’s original extent can be visited. Among the finds a large mosaic depicting the myth of Lycurgus and Ambrosia stands out; other materials are kept in the Museo di Antichità di Torino and in the Libarna museum area, set up in the Palazzo comunale (town hall) of Serravalle Scrivia.

Highlights

• Roman theatre and amphitheatre
• Residential blocks with peristyles
• Large mosaic with the myth of Lycurgus and Ambrosia
• Route of the Via Postumia
• Museum area in the Palazzo comunale of Serravalle Scrivia

Permanent exhibition

• Area archeologica della città romana – Visit route among the remains of the theatre, the amphitheatre and the residential blocks with peristyles, with the large mosaic of Lycurgus and Ambrosia.

Operated by

Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Piemonte (Ministero della Cultura)

Visitors per year

approx. 4,428

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission for self-guided visits; booking is compulsory for guided tours, groups and school groups.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

According to the official page, the area is not accessible to people with motor disabilities.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

By car from the A7 motorway, Serravalle Scrivia exit, then follow the signs for the Libarna archaeological area.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop: not available
• Coat check: not available

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit