Museo della Cattedrale di Chiusi
Diocesan museum beside the cathedral of Chiusi, with a lapidary, silverware, illuminated codices and the underground route of the Labirinto di Porsenna, the Roman cistern and the bell tower.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The first nucleus of the Museo della Cattedrale di Chiusi was set up in 1932 in the chapter rooms next to the sacristy, at the wish of the Chapter and of Bishop Giuseppe Conti, with the aim of displaying the twenty-two choir books of the abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, donated to the cathedral in 1810, together with paintings, vestments and liturgical furnishings.
For reasons of safety and because the collection had grown, in particular with materials from the excavations of the 1970s in the presbytery of the cathedral, the seat was moved to the spaces of the old rectory and to the gallery above the colonnade linking the cathedral to the bishop's palace. The new museum was inaugurated on 20 October 1984, and in 1992 it was extended with four rooms on the first floor of the bishop's palace.
The route includes the lapidary with Roman, Early Christian, Lombard and medieval finds, the picture gallery (quadreria), the silver room, the corridor with the 15th-century Olivetan illuminated codices, the bishop's garden and, since 1995, the archaeological itinerary of the Etruscan tunnels, known as the Labirinto di Porsenna (Labyrinth of Porsenna), which leads to an Etruscan-Roman cistern and the 12th-century bell tower. The visit is completed by the catacombs of Santa Mustiola and Santa Caterina.
Highlights
- Lapidary with Roman, Early Christian, Lombard and medieval finds
- Twenty-one illuminated Olivetan codices of the 15th century
- Silver room with vestments and liturgical furnishings from the 15th to the 19th century
- Etruscan tunnels of the Labirinto di Porsenna and Etruscan-Roman cistern
- Bell tower with a staircase of 142 steps and panoramic terrace
- Bishop's garden and the catacombs of Santa Mustiola and Santa Caterina
Permanent exhibition
- Collezione permanente e Labirinto di Porsenna – Sections on three floors with lapidary, picture gallery, sacred silverware and illuminated codices, plus the underground itinerary of the Etruscan tunnels with the Roman cistern and bell tower.
- Founded
- 1932
- Operated by
- Diocesi di Montepulciano-Chiusi-Pienza
- Visitors per year
- approx. 11,584
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €2 |
|---|---|
| Labirinto di Porsenna | €3 |
| Museum and Labirinto | €5 |
| Catacombs | €5 |
Prices reported by the museionline portal, to be checked with the museum.
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 route includes underground tunnels, a cistern and a climb to the bell tower with 142 steps.
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.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | The itinerary of the Labirinto di Porsenna starts at the museum and continues through the bishop's garden, the tunnels, the Roman cistern and the bell tower. |
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