INFO-PACK - Sustainable Ageing in Future Europe – SAFE

INFO-PACK
A tour of Umbria
2016
PERUGIA
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Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in
central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of
the province of Perugia. It covers a high hilltop and
part of the valleys around the area. The history of
Perugia goes back to the Etruscan period. The city is
also known as a university town, with the University
of Perugia (about 34,000 students), the University for
Foreigners (5,000 students), and some smaller
colleges, also. Perugia is a well-known artistic centre
of Italy. The famous painter Pietro Vannucci,
nicknamed Perugino,
was
a
native
of CittàdellaPieve near Perugia. He decorated the
Fontana Maggiore and Palazzo dei Priori
local Sala delCambio with a beautiful series
of frescoes; eight of his pictures can also be admired in the National Gallery of Umbria. Perugino was
the teacher of Raphael, the great Renaissance artist who produced five paintings in Perugia (today no
]
longer in the city) and one fresco. Another famous painter, Pinturicchio, lived in
Perugia. GaleazzoAlessi is the most famous architect from Perugia. The city symbol is the griffin,
which can be seen in the form of plaques and statues on buildings around the city.
THINGS TO SEE
The National Gallery of Umbria’s collections have been hosted since 1878 on the upper floors of the
UMBRIA NATIONAL GALLERY (Corso Vannucci)
Open from 8:30am to 7:30 pm from Tuesday to Sunday
Closed every Monday, 1st January, 1st May and 25th December
Full price ticket 6.50€
Reduced price ticket 3.25€ (for 18-25 year old UE citizens and for Public School Teachers)
Priori Palace, (Palazzo dei Priori), one of the most interesting examples of Gothic civil constructions in
Italy. The Museum's collection is the most exhaustive and complete of the region, both for the variety
and the large number of the works of art it possesses. This is the artistic evidence documenting that
chronological arch of time that goes from the 13th to the 19th century. Part of the preserved and
featured works here constitute the rich heritage—still in use for didactical purposes—from the
Academy of Fine Arts of Perugia, which was founded in 1573. To the initial collection, more works of
art from private donors have been added, together with others that became state-owned, at the time
of the suppression measures imposed on religious orders and corporations, first by the Napoleonic
government and after by the Italian State. The great consistency of the collection—in pieces, number
and value—led to the establishment in 1863 of the Pinacoteca Civica, the gallery dedicated to the
painter Pietro Vannucci. The gallery was given to the State and took the name of Royal Vannucci
Gallery in 1918; it later became the National Gallery of Umbria (Galleria Nazionaledell’Umbria). The
curatorial management established the Museum’s mission in its current exhibit design in December
2006, and the display of the works of art has been held in chronological order since then. The works,
witnessing the period going from the 13th to the 15th century, are exhibited on the third floor; those
from the 16th up to the 19th century can be found on the second floor; monographic sections,
dedicated to Umbrian weaved textiles, goldsmith, ceramics, ancient graphics and topography, are
spaced out here and there along the pathway.
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HOW TO GET THERE
By train from Foligno Station to Perugia Fontivegge Station
Timetable
http://www.trenitalia.com/
Upon arrival, from the station you can reach the city center by MINIMETRO. Exit the station, turn left
and follow the signs to the MINIMETRO station. The MINIMETRO stop for the city center is
PINCETTO.
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ASSISI
It was the birthplace of St. Francis, who founded the Franciscan religious order in the town in 1208,
and St. Clare (Chiara d'Offreducci), the founder of the Poor Sisters, which later became the Order
of Poor Clares after her death. The 19th-century Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows was also born
in Assisi.Around 1000 BC a wave of immigrants settled in the upper Tiber valley as far as the Adriatic
Sea, and also in the neighborhood of Assisi.
These were the Umbrians, living in small fortified
settlements on high ground. From 450 BC these
settlements were gradually taken over by
the Etruscans. The Romans took control of central
Italy by the Battle of Sentinum in 295 BC. They
built the flourishing municipium Asisium on a
series of terraces on Monte Subasio. Roman
remains can still be found in Assisi: city walls, the
forum (now Piazza del Comune), a theatre, an
amphitheatre and the Temple of Minerva (now
transformed into the Church of Santa Maria sopra
Minerva). In 1997, the remains of a Roman villa
were also discovered containing several well
preserved rooms with frescoes and mosaics in a
condition rarely found outside sites such
San Francis Basilica
as Pompei. In 238 AD Assisi was converted to
Christianity by bishop Rufino, who was martyred
at Costano. According to tradition, his remains
rest in the Cathedral Church of San Rufino in
Assisi. The Ostrogoths of king Totila destroyed most of the town in 545. Assisi then came under the
rule of the Lombards as part of the Lombard and then Frankish Duchy of Spoleto.
The thriving commune became an independent Ghibelline commune in the 11th century.
Constantly struggling with the Guelph Perugia, it was during one of those battles, the battle at Ponte
San Giovanni, that Francesco di Bernardone, (Saint Francis of Assisi), was taken prisoner, setting in
motion the events that eventually led him to live as a beggar, renounce the world and establish
the Order of Friars Minor. The city, which had remained within the confines of the Roman walls,
began to expand outside these walls in the 13th century. In this period the city was under papal
jurisdiction. The Rocca Maggiore, the imperial fortress on top of the hill above the city, which had
been plundered by the people in 1189, was rebuilt in 1367 on orders of the papal legate, cardinal Gil
de Albornoz. In the beginning Assisi fell under the rule of Perugia and later under several despots,
such as the soldier of fortune BiordoMichelotti, GianGaleazzo Visconti and his successor Francesco I
Sforza, dukes of Milan, Jacopo Piccinino andFederico II da Montefeltro, lord of Urbino. The city went
into a deep decline through the plague of the Black Death in 1348.The city came again under papal
jurisdiction under the rule of Pope Pius II (1458–1464). In 1569 construction was started of
the Basilica of Santa Maria degliAngeli. During the Renaissance and in later centuries, the city
continued to develop peacefully, as the 17th-century palazzi of the Bernabei and Giacobetti attest.
Now the site of many a pilgrimage, Assisi is linked in legend with its native son, St. Francis. The
gentle saint founded the Franciscan order and shares honors with St. Catherine of Siena as
the patron saint of Italy. He is remembered by many, even non-Christians, as a lover of nature (his
preaching to an audience of birds is one of the legends of his life). Assisi was hit by two
devastating earthquakes, that shook Umbria in September 1997. But the recovery and restoration
have been remarkable, although much remains to be done. Massive damage was caused to many
historical sites, but the major attraction, the Basilica di San Francesco, reopened less than 2 years
later.
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THINGS TO SEE
SAN FRANCIS BASILICA
It is a World Heritage Site. The Franciscan monastery, il SacroConvento, and the lower and upper
church (Basilica inferiore e superiore) of St Francis were begun immediately after hiscanonization in
1228, and completed in 1253. The lower church has frescos by renowned latemedieval artists Cimabue and Giotto; in the upper church are frescos of scenes in the life of St.
Francis previously ascribed to Giotto and now thought to be by artists of the circle of Pietro
Cavallini of Rome. The Basilica was badly damaged by an earthquake of 26 September 1997 –
during which part of the vault collapsed, killing four people inside the church and carrying with it a
fresco by Cimabue. The edifice was closed for two years for restoration.
OTHER THINGS TO SEE:
Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary the Greater), the oldest church in Assisi.
The Cathedral of San Rufino (St. Rufinus), with a Romanesque façade with three rose windows and
a 16th-century interior; part of it is built on a Roman cistern.
Basilica of Santa Chiara (St Clare) with its massive lateral buttresses, rose window, and
simple Gothic interior,
begun
in
1257,
contains
the tomb of
the saint and
13th-century frescoes and paintings.
Basilica of Santa Maria degliAngeli (St. Mary of the Angels), which houses the Porziuncola.
Chiesa Nuova, built over the presumed parental home of St. Francis
Santo Stefano, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Assisi#Santo_Stefano, one of the oldest churches
of Assisi.
Eremodellecarceri, a small monastery with church at a canyon above Assisi, where S. Francis
retreated and preached to birds.
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HOW TO GET THERE
By train from Foligno Station to Assisi Station
http://www.trenitalia.com/
From the station catch one of the many busses that go to Assisi town center.
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SPELLO
The old walled town lies on a NW-SE
sloping ridge that eventually meets the
plain below. From the top of the ridge,
Spello commands a good view of the
Umbrian plain towards Perugia; at the
bottom of the ridge, the town spills out
of its walls into a small modern section
(or Borgo) served by the rail line
from Rome to Florence via
Perugia.
The densely-inhabited town, built of
stone, is of decidedly medieval
aspect, and is enclosed in a circuit of
medieval
walls
on
Roman
foundations,
including
three
Roman
The old walls - Spello
Late
Antique
gates
(Porta
Consolare, Porta di Venere and the
"Arch of Augustus") and traces of
three more, remains of an amphitheater, as well several medieval gates. Spello boasts about two
dozen small churches, most of them medieval.
THINGS TO SEE
(About 1159), probably built over an ancient temple dedicated to Juno and Vesta. The façade has a
Romanesque portal and a 13th century bell tower, while the pilasters next to the apse have frescoes
SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE
by Perugino (1512). The most striking feature is the Baglioni Chapel, frescoed by Pinturicchio. The
Umbrian artist was called to paint it around 1500 by TroiloBaglioni, after he had just finished
the Borgia Apartment's decoration. The cycle include the Annunciation, the Nativity and the Dispute
with the Doctors, plus four Sibyls in the vault. The Palazzo deiCanonici, annexed to the church,
houses the Town's Art Gallery.
OTHER THINGS TO SEE:
Sant'Andrea (1025 AD). The interior, on a single nave, has 14th century frescoes. There's also a
panel by Pinturicchio.
San Lorenzo (12th century). San Bernardino da Siena began his preaching season in this church in
1438.
San Claudio (11th century or earlier), an elegant example of Romanesque architecture with a rose
window on the asymmetrical façade. The interior has 14th century votive frescoes from the Umbrian
school. It is said to have been built on the remains of a Paleo-Christian cemetery.
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Tega Chapel (14th century), with
a Crucifixion attributed to NicolòAlunno.
Umbrian
school
15th
century
frescoes,
including
Palazzo ComunaleVecchio ("Old Town Hall", built in 1270 and enlarged after the end of the
Baglioniseigniory, in 1567-1575). It has some frescoed halls, one attributed to the Zuccari brothers. It
is faced by a 16th century fountain.
Palazzo Cruciali, built in the early 17th century.
Palazzo Baglioni, erected as a fortificated mansion around 1359. The Governor's Hall has frescoes
from the 16th century.
Arch of Augustus (1st century BC-1st century AD).
In the plain, near S. Claudio, are the remains of a semi-excavated Roman amphitheater; and a small
valley to the east of the town is remarkable for its traces of Roman centuriation.
Beyond the town proper, the comune's chief monuments are the church of San Silvestro at Collepino,
and the church of the Madonna dellaSpella with late-medieval votive frescoes and graffiti.
HOW TO GET THERE
By train from Foligno Station to Spello Station
http://www.trenitalia.com/
From the station catch one of the many busses that go to Spellotown center.
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MONTEFALCO
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The town has been actively settled since the times of the Umbri. It has been under the successive
domination of the Romans, Lombards, being called Coccorone in the Middle Ages. In 1249 it was
sacked by Frederick II, but was soon rebuilt with the modern name. from the 13th century it had been
a free comune under the domination of local nobles and merchants, but later, as with many other
Umbrian locales, the comune gave way to government by a Signoria — in this case, that of the Trinci
from the nearby Foligno (1383–1439). In 1446 it fell under the rule of the Papal States where it
remained until the unification of Italy in 1861. St. Clare of Montefalco, sometimes known as St. Clare
of the Cross, was born in Montefalco and died there in 1308. Montefalco today has several churches,
some in the Romanesque, some in the Gothic and some in the Renaissance style. Historically, the
most important is the church of San Francesco, which is now the town's museum, and, given its
collection of art and artifacts, one of the most important museums in Umbria. The church is notable for
its fresco cycle on the life of St. Francis, from the Florentine artist BenozzoGozzoli (1450–1452).
Other artists represented in the museum include Perugino, Melanzio, Pier Antonio Mezzastris,
Antoniazzo Romano and Tiberio d'Assisi.
Among the other churches found inside
and outside the town walls are
Sant'Agostino,
Santa
Clara,
Santa
Illuminata and San Fortunato, the latter,
built in the 4th century over the tomb of
Fortunatus of Spoleto and renovated in
15th century, had frescoes by Gozzoli and
Tiberiod'Assisi. The 13th century Palazzo
Comunale ("Town Hall") has a mullioned
window from the original edifice and a 15th
century portal. Also notable are the gates
Main street - Montefalco
in the walls, including Porta Sant'Agostino,
Porta Camiano and Porta Federico II. The
comune of Montefalco and a small area of the comune of Bevagna constitute the regulated
geographical area for Montefalco wines. Every year around Easter, the town sponsors a major festival
called SettimanaEnologica — or Wine Week — where visitors can enjoy the principal wines produced
in the area including the comparatively simple red table wine, Montefalco Rosso, the more complex
DOCG red wines Sagrantino, for which the area is famous, and the MontefalcoSagrantinosecco.
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BEVAGNA
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San Michele
The city was originally an Etruscan-Oscan
settlement. Around 80-90 BC it became a Roman
municipium, called Mevania. In the 3rd-4th
centuries AD it was probably an episcopal see
and, after the Lombard conquest, the seat of a
gastald in the Duchy of Spoleto. After the year
1000 Bevagna was a free commune. In 1152
Frederick Barbarossa set it on fire. In 1249 it was
again destroyed by the Count of Aquino. In 13711439 it was ruled by the Trinci family. Later it was
part of the Papal States until the unification of Italy.
The painter Andrea Camassei (1602–1649) was
born in Bevagna.
THINGS TO SEE
Palazzo dei Consoli, c. 1187, with Teatro F. Torti (1886)
Romanesque church of S. Michele Arcangelo (12th-13th centuries)
Romanesque church of S. Silvestro (1195).
Church of Sant'Agostino (1316).
Church of San Nicolò.
Church of Santa Maria in Laurenzia, built in the 13th century and later enlarged.
Church of San Vincenzo (12th century).
The medieval walls.
Ruins of a Roman Temple.
Ruins of a Roman Theater.
Roman Therme with mosaics of marine life.
HOW TO GET THERE – by bus
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Departure from Foligno Station
Arrival at Bevagna
13:40 (bus number E411)
14:45 (bus number E422)
18:15 (bus number E411)
Departure from Bevagna
13:59
15:05
18:35
Arrival at Foligno Station
18:25 (bus number E411 from “Porta Foligno
stop)
18:44
CASCATA DELLE
MARMORE
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The CascatadelleMarmore (Marmore'sFalls) is a man-made waterfall created by the ancient Romans.
Its total height is 165 m (541 feet), making it one of the tallest in Europe and the tallest man-made
waterfall in the world. Of its 3 sections, the top one is the tallest, at 83 m (272 feet). It is located 7.7
km from Terni, a provincial capital of the Italian region of Umbria. Its source is a portion of the waters
of the river Velino (the rest of the river flows into a hydroelectric power plant), after flowing through
Piediluco lake near the community of Marmore. It pours into the valley below formed by the river
Nera. Its flow is turned on and off according to a published schedule, to satisfy the needs of tourists
and the power company alike. Tourists try to be there the moment the gates are opened to see the
powerful rush of water.The Velinoriver flows through the highlands that surround the city of Rieti. In
ancient times, it fed a wetland that was thought to bring illness (probably malaria). To remove that
threat to the city of Rieti, in 271 BC, the Roman consul Manlius CuriusDentatus ordered the
construction of a canal (the Curiano Trench) to divert the stagnant waters into the natural cliff at
Marmore. From there, the water fell into the Nera river below. However, that solution created a
different problem: when the Velinoriver was in flood stage, its water flowed through the Nera toward
the city of Terni, threatening its population. The issue was so contentious between the two cities that
the Roman Senate was forced to address it in 54 BC. AulusPompeius represented Terni, and Cicero
represented Rieti.[citation needed] The Senate did nothing about the problem, and the problem
remained the same for centuries. Lack of maintenance in the canal resulted in a decrease in the flow,
until eventually the wetland began to reappear. In 1422, Pope Gregory XII ordered the construction of
a new canal to restore the original flow (the Gregorian Trench or Rieti Trench). In 1545, Pope Paul III
ordered that a new canal be built (the Pauline Trench). The plan was to expand the Curian Trench
and to build a regulating valve to control the flow. Upon its completion some 50 years later (in 1598),
Pope Clement VIII inaugurated the new work, and named it after himself: the Clementine Trench. In
the following two centuries, the presence of the canal was problematic for the countryside in the valley
below, as the Nera often flooded it. In 1787, Pope Pius VI ordered architect Andrea Vici to modify the
leaps below the falls, giving the falls its present look and finally resolving the majority of the problems.
In 1896, the newly formed steel mills in Terni began using the water flow in the Curiano Trench to
power their operation. In the following years, engineers began using the water flow to generate
electricity.
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Timetable
Marmore falls are open
From Monday to Friday
Saturday and Sunday
Water release
From Monday to Friday
Saturday and Sunday
10:00 – 18:00
10:00 – 22:00
12:00 – 13:00
16:00 – 17:00
11:00 – 13:00
16:00 – 21:00
Ticket price
Full price € 8.00, reduced price € 5.00 (children between 6 and 12 years old, groups of at least 15
participants and over 70 years old).
HOW TO GET THERE
http://www.trenitalia.com/
Once you are at Terni station ask any station attendantfor busses to Marmore Falls
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LAKE TRASIMENO
Three million years ago, there was a shallow
sea in this part of Umbria. A depression formed
by geologic fractures allowed the present-day
Lake Trasimeno to form. Historically, Trasimeno
was known as The Lake of Perugia, being
important for northwestern Umbria and for the
Tuscan Chiana district. In prehistoric times, this
lake extended almost to Perugia. Trasimeno is
a mythological figure, joined with Agilla, a
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nymph born in Agello, now a hill midway between Perugia and Trasimeno, formerly an island in the
lake. The Battle of Lake Trasimeno occurred on the northern shore of the lake in April 217 B.C. during
the Second Punic War. The exact location of the battle is unknown because the lake then extended
further north; the battle could have been fought between Cortona and Tuoro. Near Cortona, there is a
place called 'Ossaia', in Italian meaning ossuary. Another place with reference to the battle is the
place named sanguineto, whose name is connected with the Italian term "sangue" meaning blood or,
probably, bloody place. The first civilisation to inhabit this area was the Etruscans; three of the main
Etruscan cities - Perugia, Chiusi, and Cortona - are within 20 km of the lake. Little physical evidence
remains from the period of Etruscan or later Roman settlement. Castiglione del Lago, has some
Roman ruins and its main streets are structured like a chessboard in the Roman style.
Islands
There are three islands in the lake. The largest of these islands is Isola Polvese, almost 1 km. The
second largest, Isola Maggiore, is the only inhabited one. The small fishing village, which reached its
height in the 14th century, today has only around thirty residents. Most of the buildings, including the
ruins of a Franciscan monastery, date back from the 14th century.
Maggiore is a 'hill', while Polvese is a more complex structure with plains and hills, whilst Minore
resembles a sloped table. Minore is now uninhabited, but in the past had a village with over 500
residents. Many centuries ago, a castle with a pentagonal structure stood near the shore, near an
Olivetan monastery. The castle still remains, and the ruins of the church and the monastery are
almost totally preserved, despite the abandonment in the 17th century due to malaria. The malaria
was eradicated only in the 1950s. There were other problems, since Trasimeno was fought over by
Chiusi, Panicale, Perugia, and Florence. Florentine troops demolished Polvese in the 17th century,
beginning its decline, until by the 19th century there was only a caretaker. Of the many houses,
nothing remains. Minore Isle, near Maggiore, is now uninhabited, totally covered by local vegetation
except for a small anchorage. In ancient times, there was a separation between the two communities,
because Polvese was far away from Maggiore-Minore. According to local stories, the two
communities fought against each other but the real problems were from the regional 'powers' that
fought over this lake for centuries. A fishing technique, called 'Tuoro' or 'pesca da tuori', was used
locally. This complex system consisted of a wooden trap in the water and a circular structure to hold
the net around it. The nets trapped the fish that were then taken to the village to be dried. This system
worked with a high water level, but was abandoned when the level dropped. A mock up of this system
was built several years ago near Polvese Isle's port. There are castles all around Trasimeno, many in
the center of small towns while others are isolated and in ruins. Castiglione del Lago, Passignano,
Magione, Maggiore, and Polvese islands all have castles, while Zocco Castle, Montali Castle, and
others are on hilltops. The Guglielmi Castle in Maggiore Isle was built in the late 19th century on the
foundation of an old Franciscan church, and for many years was a popular place in the Trasimeno
area. Until 1998 it was still visitable, then it was closed because the structure became dangerous. It is
now being restored by a new proprietor, but the work is far from completed. Between Monte del Lago
and S.Feliciano is Zocco castle, ruined for decades. It is privately owned but unmaintained. It is one of
the biggest castles of the area and the only one that, inside its sandstone walls, has a still untouched
medieval keep. Some years ago it was probably inhabited, as there is a building fitted with a TV
antenna, but now its only entry is closed. The best-preserved parts are the eastern and the southern
walls, increasingly endangered because the wall's faults are enlarging. The rest of the walls are
mostly demolished or have fallen down. One of the southern towers has two enormous cracks in the
middle. The Vernazzano leaning tower, around 20 metres in height, leans like the famous leaning
tower of Pisa. This unique remnant of an ancient castle was built before 1089, when the Marchiones
family donated the whole castle to the monastery of Città di Castello. In 1202, it fell under control of
Perugia and this city gained control of Northern Trasimeno. It was built on M.te Castiglione, near two
rivers. The castle and the surrounding settlement at Vernazzano, were damaged by wars in 15th
century and two centuries later, by a strong earthquake and after-shocks. Erosion of the foundations
by water caused the tower to lean in the 18th century. Vernazzano was rebuilt in the valley, away
from this site, which had been effective for territorial control but was less well-suited for living in. The
Leaning Tower has therefore been abandoned for almost 300 years. To avoid its collapse, a steel
reinforcement was recently added, with plates and wires even thicker than 2–3 cm. The Tower is not
well known, being located away from the main streets. It is visible from far away, but not easily
accessible.
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HOW TO GET THERE
http://www.trenitalia.com/
You can reach Isola Maggiore from Passignano sul Trasimeno and Isola Polvese from San Feliciano
or Isala Maggiore by ferry boat. There are several services through the day. Please check locally.
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SPOLETO
Spoleto was situated on the eastern branch of the Via
Flaminia, which forked into two roads at Narni and
rejoined at Forum Flaminii, near Foligno. An ancient
road also ran hence to Nursia. The Ponte Sanguinario
of the 1st century BCE still exists. The Forum lies
under today's marketplace. Located at the head of a
large, broad valley, surrounded by mountains, Spoleto
has long occupied a strategic geographical position. It
appears to have been an important town to the
original Umbri tribes, who built walls around their
settlement in the 5th century BC, some of which are
visible today. The first historical mention of Spoletium
is the notice of the foundation of a colony there in 241
BC; and it was still, according to Cicero colonialatina
in primis firma et illustris: a Latin colony in 95 BC.
Vecchio Molino - Spoleto
After the Battle of Lake Trasimene (217 BC)
Spoletium was attacked by Hannibal, who was
repulsed by the inhabitants[3] During the Second
Punic War the city was a useful ally to Rome. It suffered greatly during the civil wars of Gaius Marius
and Sulla. The latter, after his victory over Crassus, confiscated the territory of Spoletium (82 BC).
From this time forth it was a municipium. Under the empire it seems to have flourished once again,
but is not often mentioned in history. Martial speaks of its wine. Aemilianus, who had been proclaimed
emperor by his soldiers in Moesia, was slain by them here on his way from Rome (253), after a reign
of three or four months. Rescripts of Constantine (326) and Julian (362) are dated from Spoleto. The
foundation of the episcopal see dates from the 4th century: early martyrs of Spoleto are legends, but
a letter to the bishop Caecilianus, from Pope Liberius in 354 constitutes its first historical mention.
Owing to its elevated position Spoleto was an important stronghold during the Vandal and Gothic
wars; its walls were dismantled by Totila. Under the Lombards, Spoleto became the capital of an
independent duchy, the Duchy of Spoleto (from 570), and its dukes ruled a considerable part of
central Italy. In 774 it became part of Holy Roman Empire. Together with other fiefs, it was
bequeathed to Pope Gregory VII by the powerful countess Matilda of Tuscany, but for some time
struggled to maintain its independence. In 1155 it was destroyed by Frederick Barbarossa. In 1213 it
was definitively occupied by Pope Gregory IX. During the absence of the papal court in Avignon, it
was prey to the struggles between Guelphs and Ghibellines, until in 1354 Cardinal Albornoz brought it
once more under the authority of the Papal States. After Napoleon's conquest of Italy, in 1809 Spoleto
became capital of the short-lived French department of Trasimène, returning to the Papal States after
Napoleon's defeat, within five years. In 1860, after a gallant defence, Spoleto was taken by the troops
fighting for the unification of Italy. Giovanni Pontano, founder of the AccademiaPontaniana of Naples,
was born here. Another child of Spoleto was Francis Possenti who was educated in the Jesuit school
and whose father was the Papal assesor, Francis later entered the Passionists and became Saint
Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows.
THINGS TO SEE
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Ancient and lay buildings
- The Roman theater, largely rebuilt. The stage is occupied by the former church of St. Agatha,
currently housing the National Archaeological Museum.
- Ponte Sanguinario ("bloody bridge"), a Roman bridge 1st century BC. The name is traditionally
attributed to the persecutions of Christians in the nearby amphiteatre.
- Roman amphitheater (2nd century AD). It was turned into a fortress by Totila in 545 and in
Middle Ages times was used for stores and shops, while in the cavea the church of San Gregorio
Minore was built. The stones were later used to build the Rocca.
- The Palazzo Comunale (13th century).
- Ponte delleTorri, a striking 13th-century aqueduct, possibly on Roman foundations: whether it
was first built by the Romans is a point on which scholarly opinion is divided.
- The majestic Rocca Albornoziana, built in 1359–1370 by the architect Matteo Gattapone of
Gubbio for Cardinal Albornoz. It has six sturdy towers which formed two distinct inner spaces: the
Cortile delleArmi, for the troops, and the Cortile d'onore for the use of the city's governor. The
latter courtyard is surrounded by a two-floor porch. The rooms include the Camera Pinta ("Painted
Room") with noteworthy 15th‑ century frescoes. After having resisted many sieges, the Rocca
was turned into a jail in 1800 and used as such until the late 20th century. After extensive
renovation it was reopened as a museum in 2007.
- Palazzo Racani-Arroni(16th century) has a worn graffito decoration attributed to Giulio Romano.
The inner courtyard has a notable fountain.
- Palazzo dellaSignoria (14th century), housing the city's museum.
- The majestic Palazzo Vigili (15th-16th centuries) includes the Torre dell'Olio (13th century), the
sole mediaeval city tower remaining in Spoleto
Churches
- The Duomo (Cathedral) of S. Maria Assunta, begun around 1175 and completed in 1227. The
Romanesque edifice contains the tomb of Filippo Lippi, who died in Spoleto in 1469, designed by
his son Filippino Lippi. The church also houses a manuscript letter by Saint Francis of Assisi.
- San Pietro extra Moenia was founded in 419 to house Peter's relics over an ancient necropolis. It
was rebuilt starting from the 12th century (though the work dragged on until the 15th century),
when a remarkable Romanesque façade was added: this has three doors with rose-windows, with
a splendid relief decoration by local artists, portraying stories of the life of St. Peter. Together with
S. Rufino in Assisi, it is the finest extant specimen of Umbrian Romanesque. The church is
preceded by a large staircase. In the 17th century the interior, having a basilica plan with a nave
and two aisles, was remade in Baroque style; also in Roman Baroque style is the elliptical dome.
- The basilica of San Salvatore (4th-5th century) incorporates the cella of a Roman temple and is
one of the most important examples of Early Christian architecture. It was remade by the
Lombards in the 8th century. In 2011, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of a
group of seven inscribed as Longobards in Italy. Places of the power (568-774 A.D.).
- San Ponziano is a notable complex lying outside the city's walls, dedicated to the patron saint of
Spoleto. The church was built in the 12th century in Romanesque style, but was later modified by
Giuseppe Valadier. The crypt, however, has remained untouched, with its five small naves and
small apses with cross-vault, ancient Roman spolia columns and frescoes of the 14th-15th
centuries.
- Santa Maria della Manna d'Oro, is an edifice on an octagonal plan sited near the Cathedral. It
was built in the 16th-17th century to thank the Madonna for her protection of Spoletine traders.
- San Domenico (13th century) is a Gothic construction in white and pink stone. The interior has
notable frescoes and a painting by Giovanni Lanfranco. The crpyt is a former church dedicated to
St. Peter, with frescoed walls.
- San Gregorio Maggiore (11th-12th century), is a Romanesque church which has been restored
to original lines only in recent times. The façade has two slopes and a porch of the 16th century
that includes the Chapel of the Innocents (14th century) with a noteworthy font. The main external
feature is the high belfry, finished only in the 15th century. The interior has three naves with spolia
columns and pillars.
- The former church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo is a Romanesque edifice featuring, on the
exterior, a 13th century fresco portraying Madonna with Saints. The interior frescoes, from the
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13th-15th centuries, include some of the most ancient representations of the martyrdom of St.
Thomas Becket, by Alberto Sotio, and of St. Francis.
Santa Eufemia (12th century), a striking example of Romanesque architecture with influences
from Lombardy and Veneto. The interior has three naves with spolia columns.
San Paolo inter vineas (10th century) is a typical Spoletine Romanesque church. Its main feature
is the rose-window of the façade.
The former church and Augustinian convent of San Nicolò (1304) is a rare example of Gothic
style in Spoleto. The small church has a single nave with a splendid polygonal apse with
mullioned windows. Under the apse is the church of Santa Maria dellaMisericordia. There are two
cloisters, the more recent one pertaining to the 15th century.
San Filippo Neri is a Baroque construction of mid-17th century, designed by the Spoletine Loreto
Scelli and inspired by churches in Rome of the same period.
Sant'Ansanowas created in the 18th century over a series of former buildings including a Roman
temple (1st century AD) and the Mediaeval St. Isaac's crypt. It has a cloister from the 16th
century.
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MAP OF UMBRIA
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