Piazza Tacito

Arnaldo Pomodoro - sculpture

Terni is a modern town, characterised by regular wide streets lined with trees, which make us understand the typical Roman plan based on the "cardo" and the "decumano"; among the buildings standing along the principal streets many were rebuilt in the post-war period, while some are decidedly more ancient.
The centre of the town, rather pleasant, reveals surprising corners where interesting remains of the past recall other ages and different lifestyles. The busiest thoroughfares one can walk along to discover these corners are Corso Tacito, Corso Vecchio, via Roma, via Cavour and the network of alleys linking them, where one may admire important and fascinating buildings. Of the Roman period can be seen the ruins of the ancient walls and the ones of the AMPHITHEATRE, where are visible parts of "opus reticulatum", in small two-coloured blocks: it was erected in 32 AD by order of Fausto Liberale, during the reign of Tiberio, and it could hold up to 10.000 people. Today is visible only 2/3 of the perimeter, being a section occupied by the church of the Carmine; anyway is possible to see the original ellipse, while there are no remains of the tiers of seats. The Amphitheatre represents without doubt, together with Carsulae, the most important Roman testimony in the area of Terni.
In the beautiful piazza della Repubblica is situated the PALAZZO COMUNALE: rebuilt at the end of the 19th century in Renaissance style, after being damaged by the bombardments during the last World War it has revealed 14th century structures.
The near piazza Europa is dominated by the PALAZZO SPADA, family Spada's residence, a massive two-storeys building – with a mezzanine – considered Antonio da Sangallo the Young's last work (he died in Terni in 1546).
Other noteworthy buildings are Palazzo Magroni, Palazzo Mazzancolli, Palazzo Fabrizi, Palazzo Rosci, and two medieval towers, Castelli's tower and Barbarasa's tower.
The MUNICIPAL THEATRE "Giuseppe Verdi" (1849) is an important neo-classical building by L. Poletti.
Piazza Tacito is another strategic point in the town centre; there are some typical buildings of the Fascist period, and at the centre of the piazza may be admired one of Terni's most characteristic monuments, the FOUNTAIN, by the architects Ridolfi and Fagiolo (1936), reconstructed after the damage caused by the heavy bombardments; the basin is decorated with a mosaic representing the signs of the Zodiac.