Tarquinia, located 90 km North of Rome and 6 km from the sea, was one of the biggest centres during the Etruscan civilization, and its economical and political importance reached its peak within the VI-V centuries B.C. Many necropolis were developed along the surrounding area of the town. The richest one is without any doubt that of the "Monterozzi", formed by tombs and underground rooms, excavated on the rock and decorated with paintings representing the most suggestive and complete documentation about the Etruscan mural paintings, characterized by the representation of scenes of the daily life next to scary images about the Kingdom of death (monsters, divinities, etc.) beside melancholic faces and scenes that testify the agony of crossing into the other life (the tomb of the Ogre, the tomb of the Typhoon).
Outside the city beyond the great Etruscan necropolis, it is possible to visit another important museum located inside the old Vitelleschi’s Building, where you can find exposed the sarcophaguses of the Etruscan families, archaeological remains of several times from the villanoviana era to the Roman one, together with objects of different materials such as recipients of Greek and Etruscan origins.
This certainly is the most important Etruscan museum of Italy (with copies using the Greek technique and black statues of the VI century B.C.); glasses, mirrors, coins and sculptures of remarkable interest like the one coming from the frontal of the temple of the Queen of the IV century B.C.) also from this period are the wonderful winged horses.
Tarquinia
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