From Enhancement to Reinvention: ACe20’s Role in Orte Sotterranea

From the Legacy of Veramente Orte to a New Cultural Vision

In recent years, the underground of Orte has transformed from a fascinating mystery known to a few into a true cultural, touristic, and identity-building asset.
At the root of this transformation lies a story made of handovers, collaborations, and shared ideas.

The management and promotion of Orte Sotterranea, now a landmark for the city, was initially led by the Cultural Association Veramente Orte, which played a fundamental role in the recovery of the sites and their first opening to the public.

In 2024, a new chapter began with the arrival of ACe20, a young and dynamic enterprise that inherited Veramente Orte’s legacy and revitalized it through a vision based on participation, experiential events, and intergenerational inclusion.

The Roots: The Work of Veramente Orte

Founded in 2010, the Veramente Orte Cultural Association was, for over a decade, a key player in the cultural landscape of Orte.
With the support of the Confraternite Riunite and in collaboration with the San Sebastiano District and the local administration, the Association launched a long-term initiative to recover and enhance the city’s underground heritage.

Thanks to these efforts, several extraordinary sites were opened to the public, including:

• the Cistern of Piazza Fratini (2011),
• the Cocciopesto Well (2012),
• the Vascellaro Hypogeum (2013).
  
  

At the same time, Veramente Orte worked above ground as well, collaborating with civic and religious museums and promoting training courses on cultural heritage.
The result was a well-structured, organic system that paved the way for Orte’s revival as a City of Art.

The Handover: ACe20 Takes Over in 2024

In 2024, the management of Orte Sotterranea was handed over to ACe20, an innovative and rapidly growing organization made up of professionals with solid experience in the cultural, communications, and tourism sectors, all committed to enhancing Orte’s cultural heritage.

With ACe20’s arrival, the focus shifted from mere tourism to the creative reactivation of underground spaces, transforming them into places of experience, play, engagement, and learning.

This was not just a change in management, but a shift in approach:
volunteers becoming professionals, and the site itself becoming the beating heart of a living cultural project, capable of engaging all generations.

ACe20’s Contribution: Events, Ideas, and Community

Since taking over the management of Orte Sotterranea, ACe20 has launched a series of innovative events, merging local identity, heritage, and creativity.
Here are some of the most significant initiatives:

Territory Promotion

Even before the pandemic, ACe20 coordinated the participation of the Municipalities of Orte and Bassano in Teverina in major tourism trade fairs.

With the acquisition of Orte Sotterranea, this commitment grew stronger thanks to a Lazio Region annual grant, awarded for 2024 and 2025, reviving an activity previously carried out successfully between 2014 and 2017.

This enabled a continuous presence at prominent national and international events such as IMEX, TTG, BMT, BMTA, ITB, BIT, ENIT, and WTE, expanding the network of connections and promoting local heritage on a broader scale.

Aqueduct Escape Room – Dante’s Inferno

To celebrate Halloween 2024, the ancient underground aqueduct was transformed by ACe20 into a spectacular escape room inspired by Dante’s Inferno from the Divine Comedy.

Filled with puzzles, dark labyrinths, and Dantean references, participants were immersed in a thrilling and original experience, a perfect blend of literature, history, and gameplay in an atmospheric setting.

Santa’s Village in the Nymphaeum

During the holiday season, one of the most enchanting spaces, the Nymphaeum, was reimagined as a Santa’s Village, complete with elves, soft lighting, children’s activities, and theatrical setups.

This event brought families back into the heart of the city’s cultural life, showing that even historical spaces can become welcoming and inclusive places.

Shared Heritage – Sala di Giobbe

Perhaps the most symbolically significant event.
“Shared Heritage” gathered, in the stunning Sala di Giobbe, all the cultural and tourism partners with whom Orte collaborates.

Each participant had the opportunity to present their site, activity, or project, creating a space for exchange and networking.

The day concluded with a large community aperitif, hosted by the San Sebastiano District on the day of its annual celebration, a moment of tradition and sharing.

UNDER – Young Perspectives on the Underground

UNDER is an international project promoted by ACe20, a sort of “Erasmus of the Underground”, involving young cultural operators from archaeological sites in Malta, Italy, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.

Through exchanges, workshops, and artist residencies, participants creatively reinterpret underground spaces, giving life to installations, performances, and moments of dialogue.

An opportunity to intertwine culture, education, and European visions of heritage.

Fanta Contrade – Play, History, and Participation

Designed to strengthen the bond between young people and their districts (contrade), Fanta Contrade is a team-based game involving boys and girls in cultural challenges, themed quizzes, urban adventures, and immersive activities.

The goal is twofold:
to pass on local historical roots and to encourage active participation in city life, through a fun and engaging format.

A New Vision for Orte Sotterranea

The management of ACe20 has brought a wave of innovation and openness, characterized by:

• a more dynamic cultural offering,
• modern communication,
• the ability to reach diverse audiences, from children to international tourists.
  
  

The goal is not just to promote places, but to foster belonging, spark curiosity, and generate new forms of cultural citizenship.

Conclusion: Two Phases, One Unified Vision for Preservation and Enhancement

The journey of Orte Sotterranea is one of both continuity and transformation.
The recovery and development work carried out by the Veramente Orte Cultural Association was a fundamental step, without it, the current underground network would not exist as it does today.

With ACe20’s takeover, a new phase began, marked by creative energy, a more contemporary cultural language, and deeper integration with the local community.

Two different yet complementary approaches, demonstrating that heritage is not only to be preserved, but also reinvented every day, so it can remain alive in the hearts of those who inhabit it.