Below the Streets Where We Live

Below the Streets of Orvieto

One of the amazing things about Orvieto is how much goes on underground.  I’m not sure how many of you visit caves but, we rarely do.  We got a tour of a few of over 1200 mostly hand built caves that lie below the streets and houses of this small city.

It is geologic ‘luck’ that the people of Orvieto could build the caves.  The city and the ground immediately below it is unique volcanic ash.  Outside Orvieto, this layer eroded and disappeared thousands of years ago.  

For the above ground owners, the caves offered a great deal.  Instead of raising chickens, they kept pigeons for food.  Pigeons can find food for themselves and yet roost in a cave with a small opening to the outside world.  Water was provided in the cave, but, food was foraged.

Olive oil manufacture was also conducted below ground.  

One of the biggest caves took almost 10 years to dig and reinforce.  The cave is the Pozzi di San Patrizio (Saint Patricks Cave), and was built to ensure water for the town when under siege.  It is 175 feet deep, 45 feet wide, and has a double helix set of stairs that allow separate routes down and up for man and donkeys carrying water.

There are ‘windows’ from top to bottom.  If you looks in the windows without occupants, you’ll see the steps.

After 298 steps, we reached the bottom of the well.  Notice the expressions of Shari and Debbie.

It’s hard to imagine building this well.  I suppose the engineer was as impressed as we are when we look up from the bottom.

The caves offered great storage for several things.  Many private caves now store vino.  

Remember from the previous Orvieto post, Orvieto sat well above all around it.  Armies wishing to claim it had a major challenge to scale.

Back in Medieval and early Renaissance times, one common war tactic was to lay siege to your enemies home.  

With all the pigeon holes, water, and storage units, Orvieto could out wait any Medieval army.

They lived in peace for many centuries and enjoyed the beauty of their city.

There is much to see and do in this small Italian city.