Discover Chieti: Antiquity, museums and the old town

Chieti combines Roman remains with museums that explore different periods and areas of collecting. The old town is also easy to include in your travel plans: it is small and convenient to explore on foot. Its old streets pass monuments, grand buildings, churches, squares and historic shops. For your stay, you can first decide whether you are especially interested in ancient history, art or sacred heritage.

Ancient traces and Chieti’s history

The Teatro Marrucino was built from 1813 to December 1817, following a design by Eugenio Michitelli, who came from Teramo. The Anfiteatro romano della Civitella dates from the 1st century AD and was intended for gladiatorial combat. Together, the two structures offer insight into different chapters of the city’s history: the theatre is a building from the early 19th century, while the amphitheatre points to Roman antiquity.

Finds at the amphitheatre included architectural terracottas, fragments of statues and bronze ornaments, as well as mosaics. These pieces belonged to temples from the 2nd century BC. This means the temple-related finds date back further than the amphitheatre. Comparing the dates helps show that the remains should not be viewed as a single, contemporaneous ensemble.

Archaeology from the Palaeolithic to the early Middle Ages

The collections of the Museo archeologico “La Civitella” include finds from the Palaeolithic to the early Middle Ages. They illustrate the origins and development of ancient Teate and its territory. This broad span of time differs from the specific focus of the Roman amphitheatre: here, the emphasis is on development over many periods, not just on a single structure or its function.

A municipal description updated in February 2024 lists gardens, pedestrian areas, an auditorium, an archaeological laboratory, spaces for recreational and educational activities, and an area for temporary exhibitions as part of the complex. The Museo Universitario di Chieti adds a scientific focus to the city’s museums. Its collections cover natural history, palaeontology and anthropology, as well as scientific instruments.

Art, sacred heritage and collections

At the Museo archeologico nazionale d’Abruzzo – Villa Frigerj, the Guerriero di Capestrano is displayed in its own hall. The figure is a masterpiece from the 6th century BC. Visitors who want to focus on a single object will find a clearly defined point of reference for art history here. By contrast, the Museo D’Arte Costantino Barbella is divided into five sections: paintings from the 15th to the 19th century, sculptures by Barbella, drawings on paper, paintings from the Premio Michetti and majolica from Castelli. These collection areas bring together different media and periods.

The Museo Diocesano Teatino preserves historical and artistic heritage from the Palazzo Comunale, the Cattedrale di San Giustino and other churches in the diocese. Its museum route presents works of art and liturgical furnishings from the 13th to the 16th century. The site-specific experience in the crypt of the Cattedrale di San Giustino is different: the saint’s relics are kept there, and frescoes and paintings from the 14th and 15th centuries shape its interior.

The old town and getting to Chieti

If travelling by car, take the A14 Bologna–Bari and exit at Pescara Ovest–Chieti. Then continue via the SS5 Tiburtina Valeria or the expressway to Chieti Centro. In the city, you can explore the old town on foot and take in its monuments, churches, squares and historic shops along the old streets. The museums and historical sites also offer different starting points for planning your stay.

Discover more destinations: Montazzoli, Fresagrandinaria, Casoli, Scerni, San Salvo, Fossacesia, Casalbordino, Villalfonsina.

For the main travel overview: Chieti.