Veii: Lost City

Veii: Lost City

Rome [ENA] Veii (also Veius; Italian: Veio) was an important ancient Etruscan city situated on the southern limits of Etruria and only 16 km (9.9 mi) north-northwest of Rome, Italy. The urban plateau of the city of Veii is an archaeological and naturalistic site of great extension, included in the Park of Veii and confined in the XV Municipality of Rome, which is often overlooked and forgotten by usual tourist routes.

But this territory still preserves wonderful views and surprising landscapes for visitors who venture there, perhaps as pilgrims along the Via Francigena. A difficult relationship seems to have characterized Rome and Veii similar to the one that in ancient times opposed the rival cities on both sides of the Tiber and made the Etruscan metropolis the first great foe to fall under the blows of Roman expansion. Today a recovery of this relationship is finally possible and must be pursued with all available resources.

For this reason, for some months the Italian Ministry of Culture has shared a research, protection and enhancement project with the Sapienza University of Rome and the Parco di Veio Regional Authority, which for many years has been spending effort and energy in promoting the area (www.parcodiveio.it). The title of the project, "Veii: Lost City", recalls the legendary aura of a vanished city. Today it’s time for this city to be rediscovered and enhanced and not to be explored and plundered in the manner of 'treasure hunters'.

The collaboration of the Sapienza Rome University Departments of Architecture and Design and the Department of Ancient Sciences provides the skills necessary to program a strategic plan for the redevelopment of the archaeological and natural area. The teamwork includes the Superintendence of Archeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the province of Viterbo and Southern Etruria which is competent for the preservation of this territory; the Directorate of the State Museums of the City of Rome, which is the owner of the sanctuary of Minerva at Portonaccio; and the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, where the major archaeological remains of Veio are exhibited. The project interventions combine the redevelopment and enhancement

objectives with the safety and accessibility needs of the archaeological areas currently closed to the public.In due course, local authorities interested in the territory of Veii, which extends over several municipalities and reached the right bank of the Tiber in ancient times, will also be involved in the project. A first result has already been obtained by the Veii Park, which in agreement with the Superintendency has completed the new edition of the "Archaeological Guide of the Veii Park". The Guide will be presented in the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, thus inaugurating the new season of the Etruscan and Roman “disappeared city”.