Pozzo Etrusco (Pozzo Sorbello)

Beneath Piazza Piccinino and Palazzo Sorbello, Perugia's Etruscan Well descends 37 metres into the hill. Built in the second half of the third century BC and still fed by springs, it is a major work of Etruscan hydraulic engineering.

Why it matters

The well is an example of Etruscan engineering focused on water. Its cylindrical shaft measures about 5.6 metres across for the first 12 metres, then narrows to roughly 3 metres, with large stone blocks lining its walls. It stands at the highest point of the ancient city, about 477 metres above sea level, on the old acropolis. The Foundation describes its original purpose as a cistern later converted into a well.

What to notice

The lining consists of massive dry-laid blocks, comparable in technique to those of Perugia's Etruscan walls, arranged as the shaft narrows. Enormous travertine slabs rest on two stone trusses, each weighing about 8,000 kilograms, fitted without mortar. Three perennial springs still feed the bottom. Above ground, the piazza's wellhead has an iron grate dated to 1768, bearing the coats of arms of the Bourbon di Sorbello and Eugeni families, successive owners of the palace.

Context and history

The well was built in the second half of the third century BC and served as one of the city's principal water sources. In 1945 its massive curb was moved from the piazza to the lawn in front of the Tempio di San Michele Arcangelo. It remained there under the Comune's care until returning to its original position in the late 1970s after restoration. A further restoration of the curb was completed in 2015 with Art Bonus funding. Since July 2016 the Fondazione Ranieri di Sorbello has managed the well. In 2017, the old iron walkway at the bottom was replaced with a glass-and-steel structure and new lighting.