An open and unexpected construction site: Crypta Balbi returns to the public – Rome – Arte.it

Roma – The head of a woman, the marketing of marble, the fleshy lips, imperceptible traces of color, seems to follow with his big eyes the passage of visitors who return to cross the gates of Crypta Balbi.
For her, a refined Corinthian capital of Augustan -age, used in the late old phase to even cover a sewer, the remains of a BothrosA votive well that has reduced Hoorn’s sheep and calves and ceramics from the second century BC
There are also two barbate heads and a small female figure who stands with light chiton and heming To cover the whole body and still an identifiable Acefala image with the god pan.
They are the Silent Guests -head of the new visitors Crypt Balbi, Cantiere OpenEdited by Edith Gabrielli and Antonella Ferraro, designed to let the public have participated in the work that is in this treasury in the course of this treasure, in which more than two thousand years of urban history have been intertwined.
Ultimately, visitors who pass by the entrance of the Crypta will no longer have to limit one of the four locations of the National Roman Museum to browse through the blocked doors and gates.

Visits every Saturday from July 12
Every Saturday, from 12 July, by reservation, at 10.30 am and 12, the free tours through the excavation site will take place, accompanied by the staff of the National Roman Museum. The route starts from Via delle Botteghe Oscure to continue on the first floor in the so -called Barberinian Dormitorory, part of the Santa Caterina De’Funari complex, and will be supported by an interesting video made for the museum by Light Hrl with the direction of Maryka Mirka. Een reis naar de millennial geschiedenis van de site en een van de nieuwste ontdekkingen van de opgraving in het gezelschap van twee specialisten zoals Daniele Manacorda en Federico Marazzi, het museumpersoneel, de archeoloog Antonella Ferraro, wetenschappelijk directeur van de opgravatie, de architect Saveria Petillo, de architect Saveria Petillo, coördinator van het architectuurproject, van de Recovery of the recovery of the recovery diploma Papetti and Faborian.
(For information and reservations: https://museonazionalomano.beniculturali.it/crypta-balbi-cantiere-aperto).

Female head, the sec a. C – I sec dc, white marble | Photo: Samantha de Martin for Arte.it 2025

The displayed finds are just a few of the finds present in the 15 thousand boxes of excavation materials that are treated by archaeologists over the years in the Crypta Balbi area.
Their presence is closely linked to the area of ​​this place, unique in the world because of its exceptional urban stratification, between the current Via delle Botteghe Oscure, via Michelangelo Caetani, via Dei Delfini and via Dei Pochi, a unique business in the international scene.

Inaugurated in the 13 AC by the Spanish nobleman Lucio Cornelio Balbo, the small theater was equipped behind the scene of a courtyard, surrounded by a covered gallery, called Crypta, a slightly hidden and sheltered environment where the audience used to walk and relaxed before and after the shows.

A living laboratory that embraces 2000 years of history
“The Crypta Finally Ropens Doens Doens And Gates – Explains Alfonsina Russo, Head of the Department for the Enhancement of the Cultural Heritage – With Edith Gabrielli, Who Guides The National Roman Museum in this Transition Phase, We have carnd the Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nines Million Euros of the National Plan for Complementary Investments (PNC) to the PNRR, Thinking at the Same Time As a project we want to make this place that gives us daily life and memories, a living laboratory.
Two years ago closure of visitors. “Now Crypta returns as an open construction site and shares what is being made with everyone.”

Crypta Balbi, Excavation Construction site | Photo: Samantha de Martin for Arte.it 2025

And to find out what is being made in it, just take Caetani via Michelangelo. With the security helmet we have access to the construction site of the archaeological excavation (currently inaccessible for visitors), while, one after the other, the layers of this millennial story in addition to the discoveries that emerged during the excavation works appear.

The discoveries
Under the most surprising and unexpected, a two-OV building stands out, 28 meters long and 15 wide, so far unknown, with north-south orientation. The stratigraphic examination has determined the start of the construction in the ninth century, later, before its completion, perhaps as a result of a traumatic event, such as the two earthquakes that influenced the Rome area in 801 and 847. And here is the album of the story that unfolds to our passage. There are the remains of the BothrosThe votief pit, found in the center of the archaeological area, which brought back the horns of sheep, calves, calves, ceramics, testified to the holy calling of the area in a period prior to the construction of the theater. And then the remains of a heel from the ninth century, the basement of the monastery of the Zitelle (the miserable virgin conservatory of S. Caterina della Rosa all Funari) built on the ruins of the Church of Santa Maria Domine, with the washing and still a monumal latrine.

“Crypta Balbi – said Edith Gabrielli, director of Vive – Vittoriano and Palazzo Venezia and interim director of the National Roman Museum – is an extraordinary place that contains the entire history of the city. Today this place is hit by a complex excavation and repair work. The crypt Balbi Cantiere open An initiative designed to keep the interest and affection of the public alive immediately starts a path of improvement and makes the participation of citizens really active “.

Crypta Balbi, Excavation Construction site | Photo: Samantha de Martin for Arte.it 2025

A place of experiments and comparison
The construction site is therefore open, but also a place of methodological experiments and comparison between disciplines and professionals in the sector, complete with an archive, while parallel to the restoration project, a digitization project of the excavations of the excavations of the excavations from the eighties to today will be carried out. Following a study center linked to new technologies. Some homes for scientists will also arise in the area that Balbi will find a meeting and comparison location in Crypta and then refreshing points to enjoy the cultural activities started by the museum.
Finally, craftsmen will make the old artisanal calling of the area over time (precisely the functions) will breathe new life.
But in the meantime it is enough to enjoy the reopening of the gates, in a place that returns to the city with his memoirs and his protagonists.