Pozzo di San Patrizio: Visiting Orvieto’s Historic Well

Pozzo di San Patrizio stands at Piazza Cahen, beside Orvieto’s upper funicular station. The address is Piazza Cahen 5B, 05018 Orvieto, placing the entrance in the area where the funicular reaches the top of the cliff.

Pope Clement VII commissioned the well after he took refuge in Orvieto during the 1527 Sack of Rome. Architect Antonio da Sangallo the Younger designed it, and it was completed in 1537, according to Italy’s Ministry of Culture.

Piazza Cahen also gives you a starting point for a broader visit to Orvieto. The area includes the Etruscan Temple of Belvedere and the Rocca Albornoz area. For a route that connects major sights across the town, use this walkable Orvieto day itinerary to help shape the rest of your visit.

The well has two separate spiral staircases, each with 248 steps, so people could descend and climb by different routes. The Ministry of Culture gives the well’s dimensions as 62 metres deep and 13 metres wide.

A small bridge at the bottom connects the two staircases. CoopCulture describes the bottom as 54 metres below the entrance and gives the descent as 248 steps. The differing depth figures refer to the well’s total depth and the distance from the entrance to the bottom, respectively.

The stairs are central to the visit, but access is limited because of them. OrvietoViva estimates that a visit takes about 30–40 minutes. Treat that as a guide to the time on site, rather than a mobility assessment; check with the Comune or CoopCulture if you need accessibility details.

CoopCulture gives admission prices as €6.00 for a full-price ticket and €4.50 for a reduced ticket. Reduced admission applies to visitors with disabilities, visitors aged 6–18, university students up to age 24, adults over 65, groups of at least six, FAI and Touring Club members, and holders of tickets for Pozzo della Cava, Narni Sotterranea or Amelia Musei.

Opening hours

• Monday to Sunday: 10:00–16:30

Last checked November 2026. Hours can change on holidays and for special events.

Children aged 0–6 and tourist guides can enter free. The Comune also provides free admission for a companion of a visitor with a disability and for two teachers accompanying a school group of at least 20 students. Ticket terms can vary across official sources, so check the official site before you go.

The well opens daily, with published hours changing by month: 10:00–17:00 in January, February, November and December; 09:00–19:00 in March, April, September and October; and 09:00–20:00 in May, June, July and August. Hours and prices are time-sensitive.

Online ticket purchase counts as a reservation. The Comune says reservations are recommended but not mandatory; online purchase is available until midnight on the day before your visit. If you buy online, show the payment receipt with its reference number at the ticket office to receive your entry vouchers.

The ticket office is beside the upper funicular station. The funicular connects Piazza Cahen with the free parking area at the base of the cliff, and it also provides a route from Orvieto Scalo up to Piazza Cahen.

If you are arriving by train, this guide to the route from Orvieto’s train station to the hotel covers that part of the journey.

The Comune allows small dogs weighing up to 12 kg, provided they are carried in a suitable bag or carrier. Keep that restriction in mind if you plan to visit with a dog.

The Etruscan Temple of Belvedere and the Rocca Albornoz area are nearby landmarks. The well area also overlooks the Paglia valley and the hills between Orvieto and Todi.

To extend your time in the historic centre, combine the well with Orvieto’s streets and landmarks; this guide to Orvieto’s old town covers visitor basics and notable places.

You can also consider the well as one part of a wider visit around Piazza Cahen rather than treating the staircase visit as a full-day plan. Hotel Kristall is about a 5-minute drive from the well; Hotel Kristall puts this visit within reach during your stay.