Book now your free visit to the Colle del Duomo Museum of Viterbo, which also includes a guided tour of the Lodge of the Popes, the Room of the Conclave, the Baroque Choir and the Cathedral Sacristy.
Info & Booking
Museo Colle del Duomo
Piazza San Lorenzo, Viterbo
Ticket valid for the free visit to the museum and guided tour of the Loggia dei Papi, the Room the conclave, the Baroque Choir and the Cathedral Sacristy.
Opening dates and times: open from Tuesday to Sunday; Mondays only if festivity or long weekend.
Winter timetable 10:00-13:00 and 15:00-18:00
Summer timetable 10:00-13:00 and 15:00-19:00
August 10:00-13:00 and 15:00-20:00
Closure dates: Christmas Week until December 26th, and Mondays.
GUIDED TOURS: Guided tours are available in English or Italian and last 45 minutes. They are not scheduled at specific times: at the arrival to the museum, client reserves the visit and tour departs 30 minutes later. In the meantime, visitors can visit the Colle del Duomo Museum by themselves. The last guided tour can start 45 minutes before closure.
Reservations must be made at least 3 days before the visit.
Cancellation policy: it is possible to cancel at least 3 days before the visit to receive the refund of the cost of unused tickets, minus service fee. Further cancellations and no shows are not refundable. Reservations for Monday openings are not refundable.
How to get there:
- By car:
- From Rome: Via Cassia towards North. Once you get near the walls, enter through Porta Faul and park. Take Via San Clemente or Via San Antonio and go up the stairs to Piazza S. Lorenzo.
- From Rome: Highway towards Florence, then Exit at Orte. At Orte, take the expressway SS675 towards Viterbo. Exit at Viterbo Center, enter through Porta Faul Center and park. Take Via San Clemente or Via San Antonio and go up the stairs to Piazza S. Lorenzo.
- From Umbria: Highway SS675 towards Viterbo. Exit at Viterbo Center, enter through Porta Faul Center and park. Take Via San Clemente or Via San Antonio and go up the stairs to Piazza S. Lorenzo.
- From Tuscany: Once you get near the walls, enter through Porta Faul and park. Take Via San Clemente or Via San Antonio and go up the stairs to Piazza S. Lorenzo.
- From Tuscany: Highway towards Rome, exit at Orte. At Orte, take the expressway SS675 towards Viterbo. Exit at Viterbo Center, enter through Porta Faul Center and park. Take Via San Clemente or Via San Antonio and go up the stairs to Piazza S. Lorenzo.
- By bus:
- From Rome: departures from Saxa Rubra everyday. Information on Co.tra.l. website.
- From Terni: departures from Piazza della Rivoluzione Francese. Informazion on ATC website.
- By train:
- From Rome: there are direct trains to Viterbo from both Ostiense and Termini stations. Get off at Viterbo Porta Romana. Enter through Porta Romana and go down until Piazza del Comune. Once there, take via S. Lorenzo to the left and (alla vostra sinistra), and continue until Piazza della Morte, turn to the right and 100 meters later you will be at Piazza San Lorenzo.
- From Orte: regional train to Viterbo P.ta Romana. Get off at Viterbo Porta Romana. Enter through Porta Romana and go down until Piazza del Comune. Once there, take via S. Lorenzo to the left and (alla vostra sinistra), and continue until Piazza della Morte, turn to the right and 100 meters later you will be at Piazza San Lorenzo.
- By foot from inside Viterbo walls:
- From Porta Romana - take Via Garibaldi until piazza Fontana Grande, from here go straight on Via Cavour. Once in Piazza del Plebiscito take via S. Lorenzo to the left and (alla vostra sinistra), and continue until Piazza della Morte, turn to the right and 100 meters later you will be at Piazza San Lorenzo.
- Da Porta Fiorentina: da Piazza della Rocca percorrere via Matteotti fino a piazza del Teatro, prendere a destra Corso Italia e percorrerlo tutto fino a piazza del Plebiscito, via S. Lorenzo (davanti a voi) e percorrerla fino a piazza della Morte, dalla piazza prendete a destra e proseguite dritti, dopo 100 metri arrivate a piazza S. Lorenzo.
Museum Colle del Duomo in Viterbo
The Colle del Duomo Museum of Viterbo is located between the Cathedral and its bell tower, the house of Valentino della Pagnotta and the Papal Palace, the imposing buildings that surround Piazza San Lorenzo. The itinerary of your visit goes through some medieval structures, once the seat of the Cathedral Chapter, and is divided into three main sections:
Archaeological Garden: It houses many archaeological and architectural artifacts found during the construction of the Museum.
Art Museum: It hosts significant works by the main Viterbo painters such as Bartolomeo Cavarozzi (17th century), Domenico Corvi, Anton Angelo Falaschi and Vincenzo Strigelli (18th century). Other artists are Benvenuto Giovanni (15th century), Marco Benefial (18th century), Pietro Vanni (19th century). The Museum also houses an important Madonna with Child (Madonna della Carbonara) by an unknown artist of the 13th century, as well as an oil on wood panel painting depicting the crucifixion, by a member of Michelangelo's school.
Sacred Vestments: The collection of vestments includes objects having belonged to Popes, Cardinals and Bishops, precious reliquaries, chalices, and consecration patens.
You will visit the Loggia of the Popes and the Room of the Conclave with a guided tour starting at the Museum. These two parts are the last additions to the papal palace of Viterbo, which was built between 1255 and 1267 as a country residence and to offer the popes refuge in times of trouble and war.
The Papal Palace was commissioned by Raniero Gatti, at the time Captain of the people of Viterbo. Pope Alexander IV transferred the Papal Curia here in 1257, and it remained until 1284, when Martin IV decided to move it to Orvieto. During the 24 years here, there were eight popes, five of which were elected in the city. Among these, the most famous election was that of Gregory X, which lasted thirty-three months in the longest conclave in history. Four popes are buried at Viterbo.
Sacristy of the Cathedral and Baroque Choir
The "baroque choir" or 17th-century apse area is one of the parts that survived the allied bombings of 1944 and subsequent restoration. The cathedral had suffered profound changes in the 16th and 17th centuries to the point of appearing completely Baroque. This situation was maintained until restorations carried out between 1947 and 1952 led to the closure of eight of the ten chapels and to the reconstruction of the apse in the place of the Romanesque one. The visit allows you to admire the 1683 frescoes by Giuseppe Passeri and the beautiful altar decoration by Giovanni Francesco Romanelli from 1648.
The sacristy from 1795 is entirely covered with walnut and gold decorations. In neoclassical style, it was commissioned by Cardinal Muzio Gallo. The coffered decorated ceiling offers a spectacular perspective effect that increases the height. Noteworthy is the 17th century papier-mâché crucifix with moving parts.