Spoleto, even if it shows evident traces of the Roman era even in its urban structure, maintains a substantially medieval appearance, due to the period in which it was first a flourishing longobard Duchy, and then an important city within the Papal State. The Arch of Drusus (23 A.D.), near the Romanic church of St. Ansano , the Roman Theatre, whose construction goes back to the first years of the Empire, and the paleocristian basilica St. Salvatore of the 4th century, a Roman bridge (also called "the Bloody") and the amphitheatre of the 2nd century A.C. are testimonials of Spoleto's earliest origins. Porta romana or Arco di Monterone. At the beginning of the descent down via Monterone. It was built out of huge blocks of squared stone in the third century B.C. and is still partially buried. It constituted the southern entrance to and the very beginning of the city. It is the oldest gate and, indeed, the only one which has survived whole of the four main gates which were opened in the Roman walls. The principal roads leading to the surrounding territory left from these gates: Porta Fuga (from which the via Flaminia left for Foligno and Fano) was re-built in 1200; Porta Ponzianina (from which the via Nursina left for Norcia) of which only the restored threshold remains; Porta San Lorenzo, in what is now Borgo San Matteo, (from which the via Romana began on its way to Carsulae and Terni) which now practically no longer exists.

The Roman Theatre, on the right side of Piazza della Libertà. It was built in the first century A.D. on an artificial platform and restored in Roman times. In time it was enveloped by the surrounding buildings. It was unearthed at the end of the nineteenth century and fully restored. From 1954 on it has been used for open-air shows, especially during the Festival of Two Worlds. The orchestra pit and part of the flooring, the first two rows of seating, the facade with blind arches and half-columns, the ambulacrum with barrel-vaults and the corridors are all original. The current seating arrangement was re-built in both stone and cement according to the traces remaining. The back-drop was destroyed plausibly when the apse of the former church of Sant'Agata was built in the street beyond it. In the monastery built on to the church whose cloister closes off the theatre on one side, the National Archaeological Museum was built. This is where numerous archaeological findings are housed including inscriptions, an impressive series of portraits and the interesting documentation concerning the excavations carried out within the city and the relative findings dating back to pre-historical times.
In via di Visiale to the left of the steps going up to the Municipal offices, you can find the Roman House. The first-century A.D. building was restored in the second century and unearthed in 1885 after a series of excavations carried out by the Municipality. An inscription ascribes the property of the house to Vespasia Polla, the mother of emperor Vespasian. The house still has its atrium with black and white mosaic flooring, a impluvium surrounded by a wave-like mosaic interrupted by a well, mosaic flooring in four rooms to the sides of the atrium and the large area at the back designated for family reunions. To the right of this and slightly elevated, there is the triclinium, whereas to the left there is the peristilium.

This arch is in via Arco di Druso just up from Porta Romana. It was erected in approx. 23 A.D. in honour of Drusus Minor and Germanicus, Tiberius' children, as can be gleaned from the inscription on the side looking towards what was the Forum and now piazza del Mercato. The arch was the triumphal entrance to the forum. It consists of only one barrel-vault in squared stone and little decoration. The left wall is now an integral part of the mediaeval houses along the street. From the right side, instead, thanks to the restoration of the church of Sant'Ansano carried out in the fifties, the ruins of a first-century A.D. temple can now be clearly seen.

In via dell'Anfiteatro, is the first section of the National Cross-Road. Only now partially visible inside the former Minervio barracks, this is a striking building with two orders of arches. Long sections of the lower ambulacrum, together with a part of the upper ambulacrum, can still be seen. It was built in the second century A.D. but was turned into a fortress by Totila in 545. During the early middle ages it was used for shops and storage. In the twelfth century the cavea and arena were taken over by the church of St Gregory Minor and, later still, by a monastery.
In via Cecili, is the second section of the National Internal Cross-Road. This is an interesting insight into the chronology of the ancient city walls. The layer of large polygonal limestone blocks is pre-Roman, fourth-century BC. The layer in squared limestone blocks and the remains of a watch-tower date back to the foundation of a Roman colony in 241 B.C. The layer in small, soft limestone blocks dates back, instead, to the restoration carried out in the second half of the first century B.C., after the earthquake of 63 and the destruction caused by Sulla.

Down along the descending steps, underneath arches and vaults, at the bottom of the tiny square of vicolo Leoncilli. They are only sometimes open as they are part of a private building underneath the Bishopric. It was built and added to from the third century to the first century B.C. It is thought to have been used as the private residence of the Longobard Dukes. Built out of large blocks of limestone, these substructures form a corner tunnel about thirty metres long. It is supported on the outside wall by strong arches resting on squared pillars and opened by splayed loop-holes. The barrel-vault is in concrete.
In piazza della Vittoria, below street level. It is unclear whether this name comes from the alteration of the term Sandapilarius, which was the name of the gate to the Amphitheatre nearby, or from the persecution of the Christians which, according to many hagiographers, supposedly took place here. It was built in the first century B.C. with three mighty arches of square travertine blocks so that the Via Flaminia could cross the Tessino river. Because of the progressive shifting of the river bed in a northerly direction, the bridge itself fell into disuse. Indeed, it was not used for centuries and was eventually covered over. It was unearthed in the nineteenth century.

Use the map below to create a custom itinerary to help you reach Spoleto and the Hotel San Luca.