Castellina Museum (Norcia)

History of the Castellina Museum in Norcia

The Castellina was built as a fortified residence for the apostolic governors and served from the outset to control the outlying territories of the Papal States. In the late Renaissance the popes made Norcia the seat of a prefecture with jurisdiction over many of the surrounding mountain areas. In this context the fortress was erected, and it is considered the symbol of the Church's power in Norcia. The building was restored during the 18th century and in 1860 became home to town offices.

Since 1967 it has housed the Museo civico e diocesano, established to preserve and promote the historical and artistic heritage of the Norcia area. In a sense the museum was a response to the thefts and decay affecting local heritage, mainly due to the abandonment of the mountains. The 1979 earthquake damaged the Castellina and forced all rooms to be emptied for consolidation and restoration work. The museum then reopened in 1996 as a permanent exhibition, pending a complete museum layout. The Collezione Evelino Massenzi was added in 2002, and in 2003 the archaeological exhibition "Partire per l'Aldilà" (Departing for the Afterlife).

After 2016 the building was declared unsafe with the letter "E" in the Aedes survey form of March 1, 2017. The artworks were moved to a safe place.

What to see in the Castellina Museum

Before closing, the museum occupied the main floor of the Castellina. The route ran through eight rooms and was divided into three sections: the collection of the Museo civico e diocesano, the Collezione Massenzi and the permanent archaeological exhibition "Partire per l'aldilà".

Among the best-known works was a group of polychrome wooden statues of the Deposition (13th century), from an Umbrian workshop and the only one preserved complete in Umbria. There were also the polychrome wooden statue of Santa Giuliana (15th century) and the stone sculptures by Giovanni Dalmata (1469) with the Madonna and Child, adoring angels and the two Saints John. Also on display were the painted terracotta sculptures of the Virgin Annunciate and the Angel, attributed to the della Robbia (1510), and the «Annunciata» from the early 15th century, believed to be by Jacopo della Quercia.

The Collezione Massenzi, one of the largest private collections in Umbria, came to Norcia in 2002 thanks to the generosity of its donor, the cavaliere Evelino Massenzi. The new layout in preparation includes a route on the second floor, opening with four rooms devoted to Roman Norcia and also including more recently discovered finds. The ground floor is planned to have a reception area, a bookshop, a school workshop, a café, a space for temporary exhibitions and an Urban Center.

The building also has its own story. The rusticated portal leads into a courtyard with a twelve-arch four-sided portico, in the center of which stands a statue that the people of Norcia identify as Vespasia Polla, mother of Emperor Vespasian.

Visiting the Castellina Museum

The museum is closed and has no firm reopening date. The Comune di Norcia has launched a relaunch project, and a digital platform follows the building's revival. Updates can be found on the official website devoted to the Castellina. Before setting out, check there for the status of the work, opening hours and admission details.

In the meantime, the town can be explored with Norcia inApp, a digital guide to the historic center with themed itineraries and multimedia content. The Castellina is easy to recognize from outside as well, since it looms over Piazza San Benedetto. The museum's works are currently kept elsewhere: many are in the Santo Chiodo storage facility in Spoleto.

Where the Castellina Museum is located

The Castellina Museum is in Norcia, in the province of Perugia, on Piazza San Benedetto, the town's main square. The Castellina is a fortified building with a square plan. Norcia stands at about 600 m above sea level, 96 km from Perugia, within the national park of the Sibillini Mountains. For information on parking and access to the historic center, it is best to check with the Comune.

Around the Castellina Museum in Norcia

The Castellina stands at the center of Piazza San Benedetto, overlooked by other buildings that symbolize the reconstruction. The Palazzo Comunale (town hall) was inaugurated in April 2026, almost ten years after the earthquake, and the theater reopened on May 26, 2026. Among the monuments to see, the Comune lists the Basilica of San Benedetto in Norcia, the Co-Cathedral of Santa Maria Argentea, the Chiesa di Sant'Agostino, the Complesso Monumentale San Francesco and the Criptoportico di Porta Ascolana. Before visiting, check which of these places are open.

Norcia is also enclosed by its ring of walls, which were strengthened for defense and still surround the town almost intact. For other fortifications in the area, see the page on castles in the Sibillini Mountains, or the one on Castelfranco (Norcia).