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Portonaccio Sanctuary in Isola Farnese: the Etruscan oracle at the gates of Rome
The Sanctuary of Portonaccio is located just outside the ancient town of Veii, near Isola Farnese. It was one of the most important places of worship in the whole of Etruria, dedicated to the goddess Minerva. For centuries it served as an oracle shrine, where Etruscans would go to seek responses and perform sacrifices. The site is still surrounded by greenery, between the Mola torrent and the slopes of tufa stone that encircled the ancient town.
From the cult of Minerva to the temple of Vulca
The earliest traces date back to the mid-7th century BC. The oldest section, to the east, was linked to the cult of Minerva — protectress of the young and their transition to adulthood. Around 510 BC a three-cella temple was built in the Tuscan style. The roof was decorated with painted terracotta statues, depicting Apollo, Hercules and Latona. The works are attributed to Vulca, the same artist summoned to Rome to decorate the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. In 1916 excavations brought to light the famous Apollo of Veii, now on display at the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia in Rome.
The remains of the sanctuary and how to get there
The sacred area includes the remains of the temple, a basin for water-related rites and an altar for sacrifices. In the 1990s architect Franco Ceschi attempted a partial reconstruction of the temple. The site is reached by passing through the village of Isola Farnese and walking along a stretch of paved Roman road.
