For those who don't know, the Etruscans were the bullies of the Italian Peninsula until the Romans knocked them off their perch (and bullied the rest of the known world!) While the Etruscans were at the height of their power they commanded a confederation of cities. One of these was Chiusi. Once a rival of Rome, this city has seen better days. Being conquered, resettled, and rebuilt didn't do a whole lot for the city's well-being, and it shuffled between owners for the next thousand years or so. It was the seat of the Lombard duchy for a while, however. That's worth something.

Nowadays Chiusi is home to some of the finest Etruscan artwork you'll find anywhere. Tombs litter the surrounding countryside. Some are closed for renovation, some you can find a guide for, and some are open for visitors to traipse around in. Obviously, they might not be in the best condition, but caveat emptor, hey?

Visitors will also want to see the Romanesque Cathedral of San Secondiano. Interstingly enough, the church was built and rebuilt on top of ruins, and contains a roman bath underneath the tower.

Chiusians, obviously used to visitors, have developed some excellent restaurants for tired tomb-goers to frequent.

Written by  Robert Evans.

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