🎄 Win a month in Italy for two — €10,000 · The Secret Italy Prize GO →
Tomb of Hildebranda — Sovana
← Back
Religious places 📍 Sovana, Italy 122 views

Tomb of Hildebranda

The funerary complex, which stands on a high podium, was carved directly into the tuffaceous rock on three sides and has a monumental facade overlooking the entire valley and is accessible via two side staircases. he monument is built without the addition of external parts and be...

Photo · Monica L.

Tomb of Hildebranda — Sovana, Italy.

Location
Sovana
Type
Religious places
Opening hours
Weather now
↗ Directions

About Tomb of Hildebranda

Tomb of Hildebranda - Sovana | Secret World Trip Planner

The funerary complex, which stands on a high podium, was carved directly into the tuffaceous rock on three sides and has a monumental facade overlooking the entire valley and is accessible via two side staircases. he monument is built without the addition of external parts and because of this, due to the friability of the tuff, many of its original architectural elements have been lost.

Tomb of Hildebranda - Sovana | Secret World Trip Planner

It was only thanks to decorative fragments recovered during excavations that a fairly realistic reconstruction of the work could be traced.

The entire monument was covered with polychrome stucco according to Etruscan decorative art, which loved bright colors. Unfortunately, however, little of the 'original appearance of this work remains today, although its charm is still remarkable.

Tomb of Hildebranda - Sovana | Secret World Trip Planner

The tomb has remains of the twelve fluted columns that bordered a Pronaos with a coffered ceiling. The columns supported a relief frieze decorated with a series of affronted griffins held up by the tail by a female figure and alternating with rosettes (as can also be inferred from the remains of a portion of the frieze). The only remaining column, in whose capital we recognize anthropomorphic figures, supports a remnant of a lacunar ceiling. Inside, at the bottom, the remains of painted plaster can be seen. Below the podium a deep dromos (access corridor) dug into the tufa for about ten meters provides access to the tomb. This entrance intersects another on the right that descends into the ground for about 10 meters and reaches a tomb dating to the 4th century BCE. The interior of the latter burial chamber is Greek in style, and its ceiling is decorated with well-polished coffers of fine workmanship.

The burial chamber of the Ildebranda tomb has no major decorations and no fragments of its grave goods since it was desecrated in ancient times. Equipped with a single platform for depositions, the chamber is articulated according to a Greek cross plan and has a false beam carved in tuff on the ceiling.

✦ Secret World · suggested day

A perfect day in Sovana

Start with Tomb of Hildebranda, then continue with nearby places selected by Secret World.

  1. 01
    Morning
    Tomb of Hildebranda
    📍 Sovana
    Start here
  2. 02
    Afternoon
    📍 0.1 km away
  3. 03
    Evening
    📍 0.8 km away

Collect this place

Turn places you discover into stamps in your Secret Passport.

Open Secret Passport →

Keep exploring · Sovana

Frequently Asked Questions

The Tomb of Hildebranda is an Etruscan funerary monument carved directly into tuffaceous rock, featuring a monumental facade with twelve fluted columns and Greek-influenced interior design elements. The burial chamber below dates to the 4th century BCE and showcases Greek cross-plan architecture with a polished coffered ceiling, reflecting the blend of Etruscan and Greek artistic traditions.
Access the tomb through a deep dromos (corridor) dug into the tufa for about ten meters, with two side staircases leading to the main entrance. Inside, you'll find a burial chamber with a false beam ceiling, remains of painted plaster, and an adjacent 4th century BCE tomb with Greek-style decorations, though the main chamber was desecrated in ancient times so grave goods are absent.
While much of the original polychrome stucco has deteriorated due to the friability of the tuff, visitors can still see one remaining fluted column with anthropomorphic figures in its capital, remnants of a lacunar ceiling, and fragments of painted plaster on the interior walls. Decorative elements like the relief frieze with griffins and rosettes have been partially reconstructed based on fragments discovered during excavations.
The monument was carved entirely from soft tuffaceous rock without any external structural additions, making it extremely vulnerable to deterioration over time. The friability of the tuff caused many original architectural and decorative elements to be lost, though archaeologists were able to reconstruct a fairly accurate picture of its original appearance using decorative fragments recovered during excavations.
Yes, there's a Greek-style burial chamber from the 4th century BCE accessible through a separate entrance that intersects with the main dromos, descending about ten meters into the ground. This secondary tomb features well-polished coffers and fine craftsmanship on its ceiling, offering visitors insight into the Greek artistic influence present in the region during that period.

Experiences nearby · Sovana

Powered by Viator

See more on Viator.com

Secret World Hidden places, real stories — plan your trip
Get the app