On the occasion of the European Heritage Days on September 24th and 25th, the National Museum of Abruzzo is offering the opportunity to visit the Castle of L’Aquila from a very special perspective: the system of countermine tunnels.
This system, located within the castle’s foundations and extending along the entire perimeter of the curtain walls and bastions, made it possible to intercept underground mine tunnels dug by the enemy.
Visitors will be guided through a fascinating itinerary consisting of small rooms and tunnels just under 1 m wide and just over 2 m high, winding along the perimeter of the eastern bastion.
Passing past the numerous slits that allowed visual and acoustic monitoring of the tunnels, visitors will relive the experience of the soldiers who patrolled the countermines by torchlight, silently listening to the walls in anticipation of an underground attack.
The tours will be led by students of the Academy of Fine Arts of L’Aquila, specially trained by scholars of the Castle, thanks to an agreement with the National Museum of Abruzzo.
Visitor Regulations
The tour of the countermine galleries takes place inside the sixteenth-century Castle, currently an active construction site for restoration and repair work on the damage the fortress suffered following the 2009 earthquake.
The countermines galleries are located about 3 metres below the basement level.
The tour is approximately 150 metres long, lasts about 45 minutes, and is guided by authorised personnel.
The visit route does not have a lighting system: it is recommended to equip oneself with torches, in addition to those with which accompanying guides are equipped.
Entrance is not allowed for children under the age of 6; children over the age of 6 may only enter if accompanied by an adult.
It is not permitted to leave one’s own group along the route, nor to go beyond the barriers that mark the route open to the public.
Each group is composed of a maximum of 13 visitors.
It is not possible to visit the countermine in wheelchairs and with pushchairs, due to the disconnections intrinsic to the nature of the site.
Visiting the countermine is not recommended for those with walking difficulties and those suffering from claustrophobia.
The temperature in the countermines is a constant 10°C. Appropriate clothing to cope with the temperature and humidity is recommended, as well as the use of suitable footwear.
It is mandatory to wear a safety helmet during the visit, which will be provided by the Museum staff to each visitor, together with a disposable hygienic cap.
Access is not permitted to any kind of animal, even small ones.
