Etruscan National Museum of Villa Giulia

Piazzale di Villa Giulia 9. (Open Map)
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Description

The National Etruscan Museum in Villa Giulia is considered the most representative Italian Museum of the Etruscan civilization and is located within Villa Giulia, the suburban residence of Pope Jules the Second (1550-55), designed by Vignola and realized with the participation of Ammannati and Vasari. 

In 1889 the villa was destined to be the Museum of the pre-Roman Antiquities of Latium. Two wings were added between 1912 and 1923. The topographic-type of exhibition by geographic areas of the findings is alternated in the current setting with materials ordered by type from the Raccolta Antiquaria (Antiquarian Collection, former Kircherian Museum) and from other large collections, such as the Castellani collection, that includes ceramics, bronzes, and ancient and modern jewelry. 

In fact the Castellani themselves were among the best known jewelers in Rome in the second half of the nineteenth century. Specific sections are also dedicated to Etruscan epigraphy, to the history of the Museum and to the architectonic complex of Valle Giulia. 

Of particular interest are the exhibits of the Apollo from Veio (sixth century BC), the Sarcophagus of the Spouses from Cerveteri (sixth century BC), the high relief and the golden thin sheets from Pyrgi (fifth century BC), the Apollo dello Scasato from Falerii (fourth century BC), the Centaur from Vulci (sixth century BC) and the so-called Cista Ficoroni from Palestrina (fourth century BC). The reconstruction of the small Greek-Etruscan Temple of Alatri realized in 1890-91 in the garden of the villa is of particular interest.