In the most secret places of the great buildings that have made history, right under our feet, are hidden fascinating rooms, almost always unknown even to those who live in the immediate vicinity.
This is the case with the structures underneath the Cathedral of Anagni. Many know the famous crypt of St. Magno (known as the "Sistine Chapel of the Middle Ages") with its miraculous perfectly preserved frescoes, located below the main altar of the Cathedral, but few know that there are also in the nearby Orto dei Canonici (Vegetable garden of the Canons), places called "grottoni".
The grottos may actually be the foundations of a bishop's palace that in the Middle Ages was connected to the Cathedral.
Probably at the time of Pope Boniface VIII, they functioned as stables and connected the bishop with the nearby Palazzo Trajetto, belonging to the pope.
In this place you can relive the history of Anagni's greatness through the most mysterious structures that over the millennia have characterized the sacred hill of the city, the fortified citadel with the cathedral and the papal palaces.
The first investigators of these places believed they were facing caves and only recently, thanks to archaeologists and historians' studies, the secrets related to these places have been revealed to the citizens and to the many visitors that reach the Papal City to rediscover our traditions.
For those who take the museum's tour of the Cathedral, the tour ends with the lapidary rooms, opening onto a large panoramic terrace overlooking the green Ernici mountains, behind Anagni.
Few people realize that there is a huge hollow space beneath the floor, used up to a few decades ago as a rainwater collecting cistern and never open to the public.
During the special visit organized on the weekend of 2, 3 and 4 June 2017 you will be able to access this unique place underneath the cathedral of Anagni. We will try to understand its story together and to test in person the various theories that revolve around it: is this an ancient church? Or a crypt?
These rooms will be visited together for the first time thanks to a guided tour designed specifically for those most curious and enthusiastic visitors, amateur speleologists who want to discover the most fascinating history of our cathedral through vicissitudes of the hidden spots of the building.
On Friday 2, Saturday 3 and Sunday, June 4, 2017, one-hour visits will be organized of Underneath the Cathedral of Anagni with guides leaving from the Museum of the Cathedral of Anagni and the Association Artesìa. It is indispensable for all participants to wear comfortable footwear and clothing. We recommend booking at tel: 0775 728374 (9:00 - 13:00 / 15:00 - 19:00)
Mail:
Site internet: www.cattedraledianagni.it - www.artesiaroma.it
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