Necropolis of Pantalica, Bronze Age necropolis near Ferla, Italy.
The necropolis of Pantalica is an ancient burial site with around 5,000 tombs carved into limestone cliffs along the northern side of the Anapo valley in southeastern Sicily. The chambers span multiple levels and are arranged in horizontal rows along the rock face.
The necropolis developed between the 13th and 7th centuries BC and served as a burial site for inhabitants during the transition from Bronze to Iron Age. This span shows continuous settlement and cultural development across several centuries.
The carved chambers reveal how people here honored their dead and organized their communities. The rows of tombs show that residents had clear social structures reflected in where they chose to bury their families.
The site is reached by marked trails starting from Ferla, and conditions vary depending on the season. Wear proper footwear and allow time to explore the multiple levels across the rock face.
The site contains thousands of graves laid out over a very long time span, making it one of the largest burial grounds in Europe. Many of the chambers are small and simple, showing that people from different social backgrounds were buried here.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
