Necropoli della Banditaccia
One of the largest Etruscan necropolises, a UNESCO World Heritage Site: tumuli, cube tombs and hypogea along a funerary way more than two kilometres long at Cerveteri.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Banditaccia necropolis was the largest and most important of the necropolises of ancient Caere, today Cerveteri. It covers about 20 hectares and comprises hundreds of circular tumuli, beneath which lie Etruscan tombs dating over a very long period, from the 8th to the 2nd century BC. It developed from the 9th century BC to the Hellenistic-Roman period and is crossed by a funerary way more than two kilometres long.
The earliest burials are shaft tombs, with the ashes placed in biconical vases, or pit graves for the inhumed dead. From the 7th century BC, with the spread of the rite of inhumation, large tumuli with funerary chambers cut into the tufa spread, decorated with motifs recalling the architecture of houses. These tombs belonged to families of high rank and have yielded rich grave goods, often with objects imported from the Near East and Greece. In the 6th century BC the cube tombs, aligned along the funerary ways, and the tombs with a drainage channel (caditoia) became established; in the 4th century BC the single-chamber hypogeum with benches along the walls prevailed.
Among the most remarkable monuments is the Tomb of the Reliefs (tomba dei Rilievi), within the Recinto della Banditaccia, whose walls show a rich series of everyday objects modelled in painted stucco. Among the “Comune” tombs (tombe “del Comune”) are those of the Alcove (Alcova), of the Sarcophagi, of the Triclinium and of the Tamsnie. Together with the Monterozzi necropolis of Tarquinia, the Banditaccia has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2004 and is part of the Parco archeologico di Cerveteri e Tarquinia.
Highlights
- Funerary way over 2 km long between tumuli and cube tombs
- Tomb of the Reliefs with everyday objects in painted stucco
- Tombe del Comune: Alcova, Sarcofagi, Triclinio, Tamsnie
- Large tumuli with funerary chambers cut into the tufa
- Free audio guide with 33 contents
- Operated by
- Parco archeologico di Cerveteri e Tarquinia (Ministero della Cultura)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €13 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2young people of the European Union aged 18 to 25 |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free admission for visitors under 18. |
| Groups | –Visits allowed for groups of at most 35 people. |
| PACT circuit ticket (Cerveteri and Tarquinia, necropolises and museums; valid four months) | €21 |
| PACT annual pass | €30 |
| Annual pass for residents of Cerveteri and Tarquinia | €20 |
Free admission: Every first Sunday of the month (Domenica al museo), with access by booking where required.
The €13 ticket is the site’s combined ticket: it covers the Necropoli della Banditaccia and the Museo archeologico nazionale Cerite, and is valid for 30 days from issue. Other free admissions and reductions follow the provisions of the Ministry of Culture.
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 Ministry of Culture’s entry lists among the services assistance for visitors with disabilities and signposted routes. The internal routes largely follow the ancient roads, with uneven gradients and walking surfaces. The park has adopted a plan to remove architectural barriers.
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
- Wi-Fi
The Ministry of Culture’s entry lists a Wi-Fi connection among the site’s services.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Audio guide | yes (IT, EN, FR) |
|---|---|
| Photography | Photographs and video are permitted for private use only; professional equipment requires the administration’s authorisation. |
| Good to know | The audio guides (33 contents, from the Recinto to the main outer tombs) are free and are used via the QR codes shown at the ticket offices or on the park’s website. Dogs on a lead (no longer than 1.5 m) are admitted; bicycles, scooters and professional equipment may not be brought in. |
