The underground complex was discovered by six local speleologists who gained access through a hole in the convent's garden wall.
Inscriptions carved into the walls of the Inquisition cell provided the code-breaking clues needed to interpret the prisoners' experiences.
The Roman cisterns located on-site are still connected to the Formina Aqueduct, which was engineered during the Augustan period.
Evidence found within the complex indicates that the room used for trials was specifically designed for acoustic monitoring by Inquisition guards.
The site features a 12th-century chapel decorated with frescoes depicting the life of Saint Michael the Archangel.
Narni Sotterranea is a network of subterranean chambers located beneath the San Domenico convent in Narni, Italy. The site includes the remains of a Roman-era domus, a 12th-century church with Byzantine frescoes, and a notorious Inquisition chamber. Archaeologists discovered these areas in 1979 by exploring a neglected garden space. The site provides tangible evidence of the Holy Office's judicial activities, including a small cell used for prisoner interrogation. Visitors traverse ancient Roman cisterns, architectural remnants from the Middle Ages, and an aqueduct built in the 1st century. The site remains a primary focal point for ongoing research into Narni’s medieval history.
The Roman cistern area, which showcases the engineering of the ancient aqueduct.
Book your guided tour in advance online, as entry is strictly controlled by tour group capacity.
Wear a light jacket or sweater, as the underground temperature remains cool and damp year-round.
Ensure you arrive early to check in at the welcome desk located near the entrance.
Do not attempt to explore the site independently, as access is only possible via mandatory guided tours.
Open year-round, typically with more frequent tour departures during weekends and holidays.
No photography is allowed inside the Inquisition chamber; remain with the guided group at all times.
