Etruscan Necropolis of Tarquinia (Monterozzi)

About Etruscan Necropolis of Tarquinia (Monterozzi)

The Etruscans, who dominated central Italy before Rome, buried their dead in underground chambers designed as houses for the afterlife. At Monterozzi, outside Tarquinia, around 6,000 tombs have been found, and about 200 contain wall paintings. They show banquets, musicians, dancers, hunters and athletes, as well as demons of the underworld such as Charun with his hammer.

The paintings are the richest visual source for Etruscan religion, a tradition famed in antiquity for its divination from lightning and animal entrails. Visitors descend steep steps into a rotating selection of tombs, viewing the art through glass. The National Museum in Tarquinia's Palazzo Vitelleschi holds sarcophagi and the famous winged horses.

What to see

• Tomb of the Leopards
• Tomb of Hunting and Fishing
• Tomb of the Bulls
• Tomb of the Augurs
• Winged Horses at the National Museum

Visiting Etruscan Necropolis of Tarquinia (Monterozzi): practical guide

Best time

April to June and September to October

Hours

Usually Tuesday to Sunday 8:30 to 19:30; closed Mondays

Entry

About 10 to 15 EUR; combined ticket with the museum

Dress code

Layers for cool tombs; good shoes for steps

Nearest airport

Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO), 80 km

Tips from experienced pilgrims

• Different tombs open on a rotating basis
• Combine with Cerveteri's Banditaccia necropolis
• Allow time for the town's museum

Etiquette for visitors

Guidance drawn from Etruscan Religion tradition. Always follow signs and local custodians.

• Follow guides in painted tombs, as many are opened only briefly to protect frescoes.
• Never use flash photography inside tombs.
• Do not touch walls; humidity and contact damage the paintings.
• Wear good shoes for uneven steps leading into underground chambers.
• Visit regional museums to see objects removed from the tombs.

Location map

Open in OpenStreetMap · Get directions

Frequently asked questions