Explore Massa Marittima
Cathedral or Duomo of Saint Cerbonius
This superb 13th century cathedral is in Romanesque Pisan style in the lower part, while the large arch is a later Sienese addition. It follows the Latin cross plan and is located in the main Piazza Garibaldi, the heart of the medieval town. The beautiful marble facade was built over the centuries from about 1225; the tower next to the church was rebuilt in the 1900s.
The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Cerbonius and the central portal features lion sculptures and five panels with stories of the saint. There are precious pieces of art inside: from the Romanesque font to the rose window, from a Gothic reliquary to a beautiful and famous painting, The Madonna and Child, attributed to Duccio di Buoninsegna.
Archaeological Museum
Hosted within the premises of the Palazzo del Podestà, the archaeological museum of Massa Marittima showcases exhibits found in the Accesa Etruscan territory (6th century) and included the excavation of houses and tombs.
Mining Museum
It is housed in the middle of the galleries carved around 700 m deep into the travertine on the hill above the historical centre of the town. These tunnels were used during the Second World War as a refuge, but they have actually existed since the Middle Ages and the stone was used for building work.
Former miners set up the museum to recreate their working environment and to display the working methods.
Cassero Senese and Torre del Candeliere
The Torre del Candeliere (Chandelier Tower) was built in 1228 and it is also called the clock tower, while the Cassero Senese (Sienese Fortress) was built in the 13th and 14th centuries. Both are a sign of the Sienese expansion of the city’s borders beyond the medieval fort built by the Pisans. Today, both the tower and the fortress are open to visitors and boast a splendid panoramic view over the city.Fonti dell’Abbondanza
Last but not least, you simply must see this sight in Massa Marittima located to the left of the Cathedral. The building, which is the original site of the city’s water supply built in 1265, is famous for its fresco of a painted tree with male genitals in the place of leaves. The fresco is called the Albero della Fecondità (or Tree of fertility) and you can easily understand why! There is also a group of women who are apparently collecting the falling genitals!Our Rooms
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