Necropoli Volsca di Zagarolo
Beneath and around Zagarolo's modern streets lie the remnants of a Volscian and early Roman necropolis, with rock-cut chamber tombs dating back to the 6th and 5th centuries BC — most travellers walk straight past them, which means you often have these atmospheric ancient spaces almost entirely to yourself.
Who Were the Volsci?
The Volsci were an Italic people who dominated much of southern Lazio before Rome absorbed them in the 4th century BC; their settlements around Zagarolo (ancient Zagarolum) were strategically positioned on the volcanic tufa ridge overlooking the Via Labicana, one of Rome's great consular roads.
The chamber tombs were carved directly into the soft tufa rock, a technique shared across the region, and grave goods recovered from them — now displayed in the Museo Civico inside Palazzo Rospigliosi — include bucchero pottery, bronze fibulae and terracotta figurines that tell a vivid story of pre-Roman life.
Finding the Site
Some tomb entrances are visible along the slopes below the historic centre, particularly on the northern and eastern flanks of the ridge; the museum staff at Palazzo Rospigliosi can point you toward the most accessible and well-preserved examples.
This is genuinely off the tourist radar — there are no souvenir stalls, no audio guides, no crowds. Bring good shoes for the uneven tufa paths and a torch if you want to peer into the darker chambers.
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