Orvieto lies on a rocky plateau north of
Rome. Because of its location on an remote cliff face, the town has developed peacefully, and over the past 3,000 years, there has been so much construction that the town today consists of several layers. This means that when you walk through Orvieto, you always have the feeling that you are walking through history. History is simply everywhere and with every step you take you see previous centuries and generations unfold before your eyes. This town can tell its own story; but what follows here will give you an idea of what you can see.
Archaeologists have found traces of life here dating back to the Iron Age, although it was the Etruscans who finally settled here on the plateau. In the years between the 7th and the 3rd century BC, the town flourished, only to be destroyed by the Romans who drove out all the inhabitants in 264 BC. There is a beautiful necropolis, which has survived from this period.
The town lay deserted for some time until it grew once again in prosperity in the 6th century AD following a Barbarian invasion of the Italian peninsular. They rediscovered that this plateau made a good place to settle because of its impregnable location.
In 1860 the town became part of the Italian Kingdom.
Orvieto is brimming with history, made immortal because of generations of loyalty to this rocky plateau, which stands proudly and beautifully high above the surrounding landscape. The town is most definitely worth a visit, and whether the rest of your holiday unfolds in
Tuscany,
Umbria or
Lazio – it’s a truly magical place.
