Chiusi
Encyclopedia
Chiusi is a town and comune
in province of Siena
, Tuscany
, Italy
.
It was one of the more powerful among the Etruscan
12‑city confederation. Chiusi went into the Roman
orbit in the 3rd century BC and took part to the Social War.
In 540 AD it was occupied by the Ostrogoths and was later seat of Lombard
duchy. From the 11th century it was under the rule of the local bishop, and was later contended by Orvieto
and, from 1231, Siena
, belonging to the latter until 1556, when it was annexed to the Grand duchy of Tuscany
.
Other sights include:
).
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
in province of Siena
Province of Siena
The Province of Siena is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Siena.It has an area of 3,821 km² , and a total population of 252,288 . There are 36 comuni in the province...
, Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
History
- For ancient history, see ClusiumClusiumClusium was an ancient city in Italy, one of several found at the site. The current municipality of Chiusi partly overlaps this Roman walled city. The Roman city remodeled an earlier Etruscan city, Clevsin, found in the territory of a prehistoric culture, possibly also Etruscan or proto-Etruscan...
.
It was one of the more powerful among the Etruscan
Etruscan civilization
Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany. The ancient Romans called its creators the Tusci or Etrusci...
12‑city confederation. Chiusi went into the Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
orbit in the 3rd century BC and took part to the Social War.
In 540 AD it was occupied by the Ostrogoths and was later seat of Lombard
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
duchy. From the 11th century it was under the rule of the local bishop, and was later contended by Orvieto
Orvieto
Orvieto is a city and comune in Province of Terni, southwestern Umbria, Italy situated on the flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tuff...
and, from 1231, Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
, belonging to the latter until 1556, when it was annexed to the Grand duchy of Tuscany
Grand Duchy of Tuscany
The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was a central Italian monarchy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1859, replacing the Duchy of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence...
.
Main sights
The lowlands around Chiusi are a treasure trove of tombs for this civilization. The Etruscan Museum of Chiusi is one of the most important repositories of Etruscan remains in Italy.Other sights include:
- The RomanesqueRomanesque architectureRomanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
Cathedral (Duomo) of San Secondiano, built around 560 AD over a pre-existing basilica, and renovated in the 13th century. It has a nave and two aisles supported by antique columns. The Sacrament Chapel houses a Nativity and Saints by Bernardino Fugai. It has a separated bell tower which was turned into a defence tower in 1585. Under the tower is a Roman swim pool dating from the 1st century BC. - The so-called "Labyrinth of Porsenna", a series of tunnels under the town, built in the 6th-5th century BC and probably utilized in Etruscan-Roman times for drainage of rain waters. According to Pliny the ElderPliny the ElderGaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
(Naturalis historiaNaturalis historiaFor Naturalis historia, the natural history by Pliny the Elder see Natural History .For Historia naturalis palmarum by Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius see Historia naturalis palmarum....
, XXXVI, XIX, 91-93), the Labyrinth was part of a monument including the sepulchre of the King Porsenna.
Transportation
Chiusi is served by a gate on the A1 Highway. It is also served by a station on the railway connecting Rome to Florence (Chiusi-Chianciano TermeChianciano Terme
Chianciano Terme is a comune in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 90 km southeast of Florence and about 50 km southeast of Siena...
).