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Subterranean Hypogeum Complex
The Priare of Montecchio Maggiore (VI)
The complex of underground caves of the so called “Priare”, according to the local name, is situated on top of a ridge in the city of Montecchio Maggiore. It is situated just below one of the two Scaligeri castles, the Castle of the Bellaguardia and the Castle of the Villa. These castles also known as the castles of Romeo and Juliet, or more precisely that of Juliet or the Bellaguardia.
According to tradition, they were precisely what inspired Count Luigi Da Porto (1485 - 1529) who was an Italian writer better known as the author of the novel with the story of Romeo and Juliet, later reprised by William Shakespeare for his famous drama. The title of the book was "Historia novellamente ritrovata di due nobili amanti" ("Newly found story of two noble lovers")The two castles were clearly visible from his home in Montorso.
The underground system originates from the extraction of soft stone or "pietra di Vicenza", a highly prized building material used in building and architecture.
The origin of the Montecchio caves is considered in conjunction with the construction of the fortified complex, built and rebuilt at various times on the summit. Archaeological sources attest to a Roman presence at the site between the second and fourth centuries AD.
According to tradition, of which so far found no definite sources have been found, carved sarcophagi found in the necropolis of the Roman church of San Felice in Vicenza were carved from stone that was quarried from here. On the other hand, the location of the hill makes it very likely that in this place there were already fortifications in ancient times, although the first documented reports of their presence are in 1231.
This date, in fact, refers to the presence of quarries for extraction of stone, so much so that in the chronicles of John the Baptist Paglierino (1415 - 1506) and then again with Francesco Barbaro (1596 - 1656), it states that the Pusterla Bridge of Vicenza in 1231 "was built in stone, and that the community of Montecchio Maggiore was convicted of a crime and for punishment had to furnish and transport all the stones needed for the work."
The extraction of stone, ever more sporadic, was active until after World War II. During the conflict the Priare served as a haven for the local population, who found safe refuge from the bombings. It appears that rehabilitation work was done in this period, as attested by much of the cladding which close the lateral compartments of the underground complex. After the war, mining in the Priare was finally abandoned, and it was used between 1972 and 1985 as a mushroom farm. After that date, the underground system suffered an inexorable decline, even after the abandonment of the mushroom farm.
In 2000, the Proteus Speleological Club of Vicenza began a series of explorations into the underground complex. In this phase a series of natural caves intersected by quarries was explored and a detailed topographic survey of the interior underground complex was performed. This was followed by research to correctly define the underground system and its history. The restoration project sponsored by the city of Montecchio Maggiore and developed in collaboration with the Vicenza cavers, gave rise to the creation and execution of a cultural and touristic underground system, built in the area of the Villa and the Bellaguadia Castles, which was already extraordinarily important in itself, on both a historical and archaeological plane.
Visits to the underground complex are done in complete safety and under the guidance of a qualified guide, in a manner to satisfy the unique curiosity this site will no doubt inspire in visitors.
The vast underground environments are composed of the main branch, which leads to a deep inner part of the system at about 200 meters with a negative gradient of about 8:50 meters and a secondary branch of approximately 300 meters. In the middle part of cavity below the Bellaguardia Castle, there is a verified escape route, leading to a second exit, located about 160 meters from the main entrance. For security reasons, however, only part of the main branch is open to visitors.
Along the way you will find stations with appropriate illustrated captions, which detail the main elements of geology and history of the site.
The complex has an underground space development of 1475 meters, of which1186 meters are relative to artificial spaces and 289 meters of the twenty-five natural cavities intercepted during the excavation of stone and related phenomena of wash erosion.
The highlight of the visit is the so called "vano della morte", the death chamber, located in the deepest and most internal part of the underground system. According to a tradition common to many medieval fortifications, in the keep of the Bellaguardia Castle (or Juliet's Castle) there is a pit where prisoners were thrown and left to die and it is perhaps alluding to this so named chamber. Here we find high natural chimneys that allowed for air circulation, including one blocked by a metal grate. The topographic survey however revealed that the chimneys are located about 40 meters outside the walls of the castle, so the legend is not founded on facts, but hearsay. However, this does not detract from the suggestion to visit these extraordinary and ancient underground areas.
Texts and Photos
Club Speleologico Proteo - Vicenza
Translation by Mrs. Riccarda Mescola - 2010
Bibliography
GLERIA E., 2002 – I Covoli dei Castelli di Giulietta e Romeo a Montecchio Maggiore (Vicenza). Atti del V Convegno Nazionale sulle Cavità Artificiali, Osoppo.
MARCHETTO GC., 2006 Le grotte di Giulietta sotto al castello di Bellaguardia. Speleologia Veneta,14: 142-146.
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