FORTE SANGALLO AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

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Forte Sangallo is an impressive fortified stronghold located in the heart of Civita Castellana. Pope Alexander VI commissioned the renowned architect and military engineer Antonio da Sangallo the Elder to design the fortress. Construction began in 1494 and was part of a broader plan to reinforce the fortifications of the areas that the Borgia family aimed to secure as a hereditary domain.

After the death of Pope Alexander VI, the project was taken over by his successor, Giuliano Della Rovere, who became Pope Julius II on October 5, 1503. He completed the construction, entrusting a new site manager, the architect Antonio da Sangallo the Younger.

Built on the remains of a pre-existing medieval fortress, Forte Sangallo defended and rendered the city of Civita Castellana virtually impregnable for centuries. At the same time, it stood as a clear symbol of papal power over the region.

In the early 19th century, it became a papal residence, later converted into a prison, first for political detainees and then for military purposes. During World War II, many displaced families took refuge within its walls. Since the 1950s, it has been home to the Archaeological Museum of Civita Castellana.

The current exhibition, completed in 1985, includes nine rooms on the first floor of the main courtyard’s loggia, arranged according to topographical and chronological criteria. Inside, visitors can admire significant ceramic productions—from the earliest impasto pottery with engraved and plastic decorations to those of the 4th and 3rd centuries BC, including black-glazed, silvered, overpainted, and red-figure ware.

There are also artifacts from the city's many ancient sanctuaries, along with finds from other important Faliscan sites such as Corchiano, Vignanello, Nepi, and Narce.

Address: Via del Forte, 01033 Civita Castellana

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM (last entry at 6:00 PM)

Closed: Mondays

Entrance Fee: €5

Contacts: +39 0761 513735 / drm-laz@beniculturali.it

Official Website: [LINK]