Museo Diocesano e Sotterranei di San Rufino

The Diocesan Museum and Underground of San Rufino in Assisi connect the cathedral's history with archaeological remains beneath the complex. The route includes Roman structures, medieval spaces and works of art from the diocesan collection.

Why it matters

The underground levels reveal activity on the site before the cathedral was built, including a sanctuary associated with the ancient Umbrian deity Cupra. The museum and its crypt bring together the archaeological and religious history of Assisi in the area around San Rufino.

What to notice

The archaeological displays interpret the earlier sanctuary and the site's Roman remains. The Doni corridor contains Roman objects and a sarcophagus carved with scenes of libation. In the crypt, a sarcophagus depicts the myth of Selene and Endymion; tradition associates it with the remains of Saint Rufinus. The eleventh-century cloister includes the Roman-era Pozzo della Mensa.

Context and history

The museum reopened on 15 April 2006 after restoration of the underground rooms of the Canons' Palace and the cloister. The collection also includes frescoes associated with the old cathedral apse and works by Nicolò di Liberatore, known as l'Alunno. The museum route connects the archaeological layers with the cathedral's later artistic history.