Cuma Archaeological Park

Cuma Archaeological Park

Cuma is not just an archaeological site: it is the first Greek colony in the West (8th century BC),
considered the birthplace of Western civilization.
In this evocative place, myth and history intertwine: from the<strong’acropolis< strong=””> overlooking the sea,
to the Lower City, guardian of over three thousand years of history.
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The Park, founded in 1927 by Amedeo Maiuri, covers about 50 hectares and preserves some of the most famous monuments of the Phlegraean Fields,
such as the Sibyl’s Cave, the sacred terraces, and the mighty city walls.

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The Acropolis of Cuma: Panoramas, Temples, and the Mystery of the Sibyl

The tuff spur of the Acropolis offers breathtaking views and contains the site’s most iconic monuments.

The Sibyl’s Cave

The park’s symbolic monument, a trapezoidal gallery carved into the tuff (4th-3rd century BC) and made famous by Virgil,
who identified it as the place where the Cumaean Sibyl delivered her prophecies.
The atmosphere, the play of light, and the mythical aura make it a unique experience.

The Sacred Terraces

• Lower Terrace: with the Temple of Apollo (6th century BC), renovated in the Augustan age and later converted into a Christian church with a baptismal font.
• Upper Terrace: home to the Greater Temple, possibly still dedicated to Apollo, linked to the myth of Daedalus.

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The Lower City: the Heart of the Greek and Roman Polis

• The Forum: heart of public life, built on the ancient Greek agora and transformed by the Romans into a monumental square with the Capitolium and Aula Sillana.
• The Crypta Romana: defensive gallery from the Augustan age, built by Agrippa, connecting the Forum to the sea.
• The Forum Baths: public facility from the 2nd century AD, with an advanced wood-fired heating system.
• Walls and Necropolis: imposing structures from the 7th century BC with the Porta Mediana and monumental necropolis, including columbaria and frescoed mausoleums.