Two different places
The basilica is a granite church, former cathedral of the Giudicato of Gallura, and still a place of worship. The necropolis is a burial excavation beneath the space outside. They are close but tell different stories: do not assume access to the church includes the graves, or vice versa.
The square also contains Roman milestones noted by the municipality. They give you something specific to look for outside the basilica, distinct from the burial structures excavated beneath the square.
Reading the basilica
The municipal listing dates the basilica’s outer walls, apse and pillars to the second half of the eleventh century; roofs and side arcades followed in the early twelfth. The granite structure lets you see this medieval phase from outside. If the church is open, enter respectfully: it remains an active place of worship.
Look from the apse towards the façade: the construction phases do not belong to one moment. The municipal description records a gradual building history rather than a single completed project.
The necropolis below the square
The excavated graves date from 200 BC to AD 300 and document extra-urban worship and burial across the first two thousand years of Olbia’s history, from the Phoenician presence to the Middle Ages. The municipality notes that the excavation is woven into the overlap between modern Olbia and its ancient settlement: an archaeological layer within the city, not a separate park.
The number of graves does not mean every one is on view. The present route contains part of the excavation, while the modern city continues above the ancient site.
The current closure
Hello Olbia’s page carries a notice dated 15 August 2026 saying the archaeological area is closed. Older opening times and prices on the same listing do not confirm reopening. Before making a special trip, check for a later municipal notice or contact the office listed there; the notice date alone does not tell you when access may resume.
A notice date does not say when the closure will end. Look for a later, explicit reopening announcement before deciding to move your visit.
Planning the visit
The municipality lists entrances to the necropolis from Via Gabriele D’Annunzio and Piazza San Simplicio, but closure can make them unavailable. Confirm which entrance is operating and whether booking is needed. View the relationship between church and excavation only from accessible public areas. Plan the basilica and necropolis as separate visits, not one guaranteed combined route.
Piazza San Simplicio and Via D’Annunzio are the entrances named in the municipal listing; do not read them as open access while the closure remains in force.
Frequently asked questions
How are the basilica and necropolis different?
The basilica is a Romanesque granite church; the necropolis is a Roman burial excavation beneath the square, with about 450 graves dated from 200 BC to AD 300. They are nearby but separate places.
Can visitors enter the necropolis?
The municipal page shows a closure notice dated 15 August 2026. Check for a later notice or contact the tourist office before relying on older opening details.