It was after a decree by the Este Duke
Francesco IV that in 1828 the decision was taken to collect together
all the Roman remains which had come to light over the centuries,
starting from the excavations during the XII Century to obtain
materials which could be used in the construction of the Cathedral
and the Ghirlandina tower, and collect them together under the
loggia of the Palazzo dei Musei. The XII Century diggings concentrated
on the area which is now piazza Matteotti, the site of a Roman
necropolis, and this is why the Museo Lapidario contains large
numbers of tombs and sarcophaguses, often of large size, topped
with tiles or shingles.
|