Mura di Tuscania, Medieval city walls in Tuscania, Italy
Mura di Tuscania are city walls encircling the medieval center with a total length of about 5 kilometers. The fortification features towers of different shapes - square, semicircular, and circular - and shows construction materials from various periods along its perimeter.
The fortification started as an Etruscan settlement wall and underwent multiple expansions and reinforcements from the Medieval period until around 1500. Each construction phase left marks visible in the varying stone techniques that remain visible in the walls today.
The walls show how residents needed protection during the Middle Ages and how the two main gates shaped daily movement through the city. These entrances controlled who entered and left, and they remain central to how people experience the historic center today.
The walls can be explored on marked walking paths that link different sections and offer views of the city and surrounding landscape. Early morning visits work well for seeing details and avoiding crowds along the routes.
Blocks from the Etruscan period remain visible in certain spots, especially near the churches of Santa Maria Maggiore and San Pietro. These older stones create a visible contrast with the medieval additions and demonstrate the long building history in a single structure.
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