Pozzo della Cava

The Pozzo della Cava is a deep well within Orvieto's volcanic rock, surrounded by underground spaces that preserve traces of water management and ceramic production. Its circular shaft incorporates an earlier rectangular excavation.

Why it matters

The complex brings together different uses of the rock beneath the city. An Etruscan shaft, a Renaissance water project and medieval and early-modern kilns reveal separate phases of work below the streets.

What to notice

The well reaches a depth of about 36 metres. Climbing notches survive in the earlier shaft. Nearby kiln remains and ceramic fragments document the manufacture of glazed pottery, including techniques associated with lustre decoration. Terracotta pipes add evidence of water infrastructure.

Context and history

In 1527 Clement VII ordered the enlargement of the older shaft; the work was completed in 1530. The well was closed in 1646 and rediscovered in 1984, with later excavation revealing its full depth. The ceramic workshops represent a different strand of the site's history, with production spanning the medieval and Renaissance periods.