On Saturday 24 June there was the extraordinary opening of the National Archaeological Museum of Sperlonga to observe the spectacular sunset of the Summer Solstice from inside the Grotto.
Two thousand years ago, the emperor Tiberius entertained his most important guests with this natural event, during magnificent summer banquets inside the cave, in the cool air.
Today we can live again those magic moments in a place of extraordinary charm and beauty, where Culture and Nature meet.
Cristiana Ruggini, Director of the Museum organized the event with the archaeologist Marina De Franceschini, who discovered archaeoastronomy in the Grotto of Tiberius.
Marina De Franceschini explained the symbolic meaning of this spectacular illumination, which can only be seen at this time of year.
The Myth and the Light: on the one hand the myth of Ulysses blinding Polyphemus, on the other the Light as a manifestation of divinity, which illuminated the emperor Tiberius.