Le Mummie di Venzone
Five naturally mummified bodies, kept for centuries in the tombs of Venzone, are displayed in the crypt of the chapel of San Michele beside the Duomo.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The chapel of San Michele stands on its own in front of the Duomo di Sant’Andrea. It is a small circular building of squared stone blocks, set against a semi-subterranean crypt. The building dates from the mid-13th century and may originally have been a baptistery. Destroyed by the 1976 earthquake, it was rebuilt using recovered original parts through anastylosis.
The story of the mummies begins in 1647, when, while a 14th-century sarcophagus was being moved to build the Rosary chapel in the Duomo, the first mummified body was found, known as “il Gobbo” (the Hunchback) because of his physical features. Over the centuries the phenomenon affected many of the dead buried in the tombs of the Duomo: the bodies date from a period between 1348 and 1881. The mummification, natural and not due to embalming, is attributed to a mould that dehydrated the tissues within a year of burial. The curiosity soon aroused great interest and attracted distinguished visitors.
In the 19th century the mummies were moved from the crypt of the Duomo to the chapel of San Michele, where they were displayed as in a small museum. After the earthquake of 6 May 1976, 15 of the 21 mummies were recovered from the rubble of the Rotonda, almost all intact. Today five bodies can be visited in the crypt.
Highlights
- Five naturally mummified bodies displayed in the crypt
- “Il Gobbo”, the oldest mummy found (1647)
- Circular chapel of the 13th century, rebuilt after the 1976 earthquake
- Beside the Duomo di Sant’Andrea Apostolo
Permanent exhibition
- Le mummie di Venzone – Five naturally mummified bodies, dating between the 14th and the 19th century, displayed in the crypt of the chapel of San Michele.
- Visitors per year
- approx. 12,000
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €1.50 |
|---|
Full-price ticket €1.50 according to the Museionline portal (updated September 2024).
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- 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
The visit takes place in a semi-subterranean crypt; no accessibility information is published.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
