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Underground Marino: the peperino stone caves beneath the Castelli Romani
Beneath the streets of the historic centre of Marino, in the Castelli Romani area, lies a vast labyrinth of caves carved entirely out of peperino stone. The tunnels branch out and connect to one another, practically to the point of forming a city beneath the city.
From wine barrels to wartime shelters
For centuries the caves housed wine barrels — peperino stone ensures optimal preservation — and during wartime they also served as bunkers. Recently, some tunnels have been cleaned up and reopened as an exhibition and educational trail, where artefacts found during restoration work are on display.
A Roman cistern beneath Santa Lucia
Beneath the deconsecrated church of Santa Lucia — now home to the Civic Museum — a cistern dating back to Roman times was discovered, which over the centuries had been converted into a Christian oratory. It is a testament to how the underground of Marino has always lent itself to the preservation of essential goods, such as water, and has been adapted over the centuries to meet the community's needs.
