Museo Ipogeo Spartano
Museum in the Bellacicco hypogeum, beneath a noble palazzo in Taranto's Borgo Antico, among Greek quarries, conduits and a tunnel to the sea.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum occupies the Bellacicco hypogeum, formerly the hypogeum of the Palazzo de Beaumont Bonelli, on the island of the Borgo Antico of Taranto, with an entrance on the railing of the Mar Grande. Studies place the first excavation at the time of the city's foundation, in 706 BC, when the Spartan colonists quarried blocks of rock for the first buildings. The area was later called delle Fogge, that is, of the quarries. The structure survived, with alterations, until the 17th century, the period of the palazzo above.
The hypogeum is privately owned and managed by the Bellacicco family, who restored it over six years at their own expense (works completed in 2003); it houses the cultural association Filonide. Since 2015 it has been home to the Museo Ipogeo Spartano, which presents modern works of art and historical reproductions of Greek and Roman Taranto. In 2007 the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities recognised the site with a special plaque at the entrance.
The route unfolds over four levels, with four halls between five and eight metres high, covering about 800 square metres and reaching up to 16 metres below street level. The Etra hall preserves sections of the Greek walls and blocks of calcarenite with fossils. The Falanto hall shows, beneath gratings, the remains of a Greek road, a medieval water-collection system and 17th-century conduits, as well as a tunnel that opens at sea level. The Filonide hall is the largest and highest.
Highlights
- Remains of the Greek walls and Spartan quarry faces
- Section of Greek road visible beneath the gratings
- 17th-century water conduits and medieval water-collection system
- Tunnel leading directly to sea level
- Four underground halls up to 16 m below street level
Permanent exhibition
- Museo Ipogeo Spartano – Route through the hypogeum with masonry structures, conduits and remains of Greek, medieval and modern Taranto, and historical reproductions of the ancient city.
- Founded
- 2015
- Operated by
- Famiglia Bellacicco / Associazione culturale Filonide
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
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
As an underground historic site, access is only by stairs; the levels are connected by flights of stairs.
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
- Spaces for rent
Up to 100 guests.
The Sala Filonide, with stage and audio and video equipment, hosts conferences, symposiums and cultural meetings.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The museum is visited on guided tours; booking is compulsory by e-mail (museospartanotaranto@gmail.com). The museum can also host conferences and cultural meetings in the Sala Filonide (up to 100 people). |
