Untitled

It aly
Historical notes
2
Main monuments
3
Map of the historical centre
12
Theme trails
19
Events
20
Craft, cuisine, services
22
Local monuments
23
Excursions
24
How to reach Gubbio
25
Historical notes
2
Traces of prehistoric settlements in the of the attempt by the Ghibelines to take
Gubbio area are documented as far back over the city in 1300. The population of
as the middle Palaeolithic period. Gubbio grew, art and craft developed
Recent archaelogical digs have led to (especially wool craft), new walls were
the identification of sites dating back built as well as the imposing city halls.
to the Bronze era, very close to the town. Development came to a halt in 1350,
Gubbio was an important centre for the when Giovanni Gabrielli became lord
Umbrians, as is demonstrated by the of the city. In 1354 Cardinal Albornoz
Eugubine Tablets (3rd-1st century B.C.), defeated the tyrant, and Gubbio came
the most remarkable epigraphic
under the dominion of the church, but
heirloom of pre-Roman Italy. They with relative autonomy. In 1376 the
consist of seven bronze tablets which town rebelled against this state of affairs;
offer ritual directions for
soon afterwards Bishop
particular ceremonies,
Gabriele Gabrielli took
and also give indications
power.
as to the organization of
There ensued a period
the Eugubine city-state.
of internal fighting
Gubbio was an ally of
which ended with the
Rome as far back as the
subjection of Gubbio to
3rd century B.C. As a
the Montefeltro family
municipality under the
(1384). The domination
authority of the Cruof the Counts and
stumina tribe, the town
Dukes of Urbino (Monflourished in the early
tefeltro until 1508, Della
centuries of the Empire,
Rovere until 1631) gave
as one can still see today
rise to a period of relative
from the many archae- One of the Eugubine tablets, 3rd- 1st century B.C. civic prosperity when
logical remains, among which those of the arts flourished, especially under the
the Roman Theatre. With the fall of the dominion of Guidantonio and Federico
Roman Empire, Iguvium was destroyed di Montefeltro.
during the Gothic war. Subsequently it
Federico began the construction in
came under the domination of
Renaissance style of the Ducal Palace.
Byzantium, from which, after various The people of Gubbio remained faithful
vicissitudes, it freed itself in the 8th c., to the lords of Urbino even during the
during which time it was several times brief hegemony of Valentino (1502) and
occupied by the Lombard kings. During of Lorenzo dei Medici (1516-1519).
the 11th c. Gubbio passed from the pre- The period during which Gubbio was a
eminent authority of the bishop to a direct appendage of the Papal States
state of self-government. Both Barba- was characterized by gradual economic
rossa (in 1163) and Henry VIth (1191) and political decline. At the time of
granted to the Gubbio consuls wide- Napoleon the town was made part of
ranging jurisdiction and privileges
the Cisalpine Republic (1798), then of
which caused strong hostility from
the Roman Republic (1798-1799), and
neighbouring Perugia, which in 1217 finally, from 1808 to 1814, of the Italic
defeated Eugubium, thus obliging it to Kingdom. In 1860, shortly after its
renounce its ambitions of expansion. annexation to the Kingdom of Italy,
1262 marks the ascendancy of the
Gubbio was included in Umbria.
Guelphs, and initiates a long period of
peace and prosperity, with the exception
Main monuments
Church of San Francesco (1)
Piazza 40 Martiri
Although the church was already in use in
1256, the decoration was not yet finished
in 1291. The octagonal bell-tower was built
in the 15th c. The interior of the building,
which has three naves, was transformed in
the 18th c. when the church took on its vaulted aspect. Among the art works kept
inside the church, the frescoes of the apses
are of particular interest. In the left-hand
apse we find “Le storie mariane”(“Stories of
Mary”) by Ottaviano Nelli (around 141015). In the central apse we can see “Cristo
Church of San Francesco
Annunciation by Ottaviano Nelli, 1410-1415 approx.
benedicente e quattro Santi”(“Christ blessing
and four Saints”), by an anonymous
Umbrian of the end of the 13th c., to whom
are also attributed the two scenes (“La
rinuncia di S. Francesco agli averi”(“St.
Francis renounces riches”) and “Sogno del
Laterano cadente”(“Dream of the falling
Lateran”) depicted in the frescoes of the
right-hand apse. In the Sforzolini chapel
(lower part of the same apse) there remain
frescoes depicting six Saints, Christ blessing,
and the Evangelists, work of the “Expressionist Master of Santa Chiara”, an anonymous Umbrian of the early 14th c. Next
to the chapel we can see the remains of a
very old house, traditionally identified as
the home of the Spadalonga family, that
gave St. Francis hospitality as well as his
habit of poverty. Between the side
altarpieces is an outstanding “Immaculate
Conception”by Antonio Gherardi of Rieti
Apse of the Church of San Francesco
(1st altar on the right). In the convent
adjacent to the church it is worth looking
at the cloisters, the refectory and the
chapter room, which offer interesting
remnants of frescoes. The convent is also
home to a rich art collection of works
related to the story of St. Francis.
Church of Santa Maria dei Laici
(Our Lady of Lay People) (2)
Piazza 40 Martiri
This church was built in the first half of the
14th c., and belonged to the Confraternità
di Santa Maria del Mercato (Confraternity
of Our Lady of the Market). The interior,
which was altered several times, offers very
interesting works of art,such as “The Annunciation”by Federico Barocci, finished by his
pupil Ventura Mazza, or the paintings on
the vault above the high altar, by Gubbio
Park of Piazza 40 Martiri
3
artist Francesco Allegrini (17th c.). Still
visible in the “Sepolcro” (“Sepulchre”)
underneath are 15th c. frescoes with
“Stories of the Passion”by an anonymous
pupil of Nelli (some of these frescoes have
been transferred to the Diocesan
Museum).
4
Hospital of Santa Maria della Misericordia (Our Lady of Mercy) and
Logge dei Tiratori (Wool-stretching
Loggias) (3) Piazza 40 Martiri
The long building, complete with arcade
and adjacent to the church of Santa
Maria dei Laici, was originally St.Mary’s
Hospital, erected in 1326 on the initiative of the confraternity of the same
name. In 1505 other hospitals of the town
were added to it, so that the building took
on the name of “Spedal Grande”(in use
until 1628). On its front can still be seen
a fresco representing the “Madonna
between St. Peter and St. Paul”(1473), by
one of Nelli’s pupils. As far back as the
middle of the 15th century the Woolworkers’ Guild wanted to build, above
the hospital, covered premises where it
would be possible to “stretch” pieces of
View of Church of San Giovanni
Church of San Giovanni. Baptistry chapel (Battistero).
cloth (that is to say, to let them dry after
stretching them to the size desired). After
endless controversies, the “stretching loggias” were finally built at the beginning
of the 17th c.
Church of San Giovanni (4)
Piazza San Giovanni
This church is mentioned in documents
as far back as the 12th c. The original,
simple building was replaced, in the 13th
c., by a more impressive structure. Its plan
- one nave only with four transversal
arches supporting the pitched roof - was
taken as a model for other Gubbio chur-
ches later on.The façade is very beautiful,
flanked by the mighty, square bell-tower.
The interior was “re-arranged in the old
Gothic style around 1865”. Among the
works of art present in the church, several
are worthy of mention: “St. Barbara and
St. Lucy”by Benedetto Nucci (1st altar
on the left) and “The Vocation of St. Peter”
(1573) by Giovanni M. Baldassini (2nd
altar on the right). The murals in the
baptistry chapel were painted in 182829 by Gubbio artist Annibale Beni. The
stone font is dated 1510. Some remains
of Gothic and late Gothic frescoes are
visible on the walls of the church.
St. Ubaldo’s House (Casa di Sant’Ubaldo) (5) Via Baldassini
A characteristic and well-preserved 13th14th c. Gubbio building, whose façade
was probably moved back and rebuilt as
a consequence of the construction of
the city halls in front of it. Inside are clear
traces of the original wall decorations.
In the Middle Ages it was home to the
Accoromboni family. There is, however,
nothing in the documents to support
the legend according to which this
building was the home of Ubaldo, patron
Saint of Gubbio.
5
Piazza Grande, Palazzo dei Consoli, 14th c.
The City Halls and Piazza Grande
In 1321 the people of Gubbio decided to
build two new public halls in
replacement of the old municipal
residence. A central position in the town
was chosen for the complex so that the
buildings would adjoin all four quarters
of the city (St. Andrew’s, St. Julian’s, St.
Martin’s, St.Peter’s). From the very
beginning a big overhanging square was
planned between the Palace of the
Consuls and that of the Podestà. The
huge construction effort, started under
the direction of architect Angelo of
Orvieto, went on until the middle of the
14th c. The troubled period that Gubbio
went through from 1350 to 1384
prevented the ambitious project from
being completed. The square was only
finished at the end of the following
century. In the 16th c. an open gallery was
built on the side of Piazza Grande facing
the valley, but this was pulled down in
1839, while the neoclassical Palazzo
Piazza Grande, Palazzo del Podestà, 14th c.
Views of the Palazzo dei Consoli from Via Gattapone and Via Baldassini.
Ranghiasci was being built on the other
side.
6
Palace of the Consuls
(Palazzo dei Consoli) (6)
Built between 1332 and 1338 according
to a plan by Angelo of Orvieto (whose
name appears in the inscription on the
portal of the monument), it is one of the
most beautiful public halls in Italy. Four
big buttresses divide the façade on the
square into three parts; in the middle a
fan-shaped staircase leads up to the portal
flanked by centrally mullioned windows.
On the first floor there are three pairs of
cambered windows, decorated by a
denticulate cornice. The top is crowned
by small ogival arches and guelphic
merlons. On the left rises the slender,
crenellated bell-tower. The “Big Bell”(“Il
Campanone”), which the bell-ringers ring
with their feet, dates back to 1769 and
weighs 2 tons. The other sides of the
palace repeat the forms of the façade,
except for the one facing the valley, where
a narrow wing was added, with an airy
loggia on top, and an unfinished communication ramp at the bottom. Inside,
the stately barrel-vaulted main hall and
the rooms on the floor above are now
home to the Municipal Museum (Museo
Comunale).
Municipal Museum
(Museo Comunale)
The collection, displayed on various
floors, illustrates the local history and
culture from the 6th century B.C. to the
19th century. Its most remarkable possession is the internationally famous
Eugubine Tablets, seven bronze tablets
upon which is engraved the most
important text in the Umbrian language: it is the most extensive descrip-
Palazzo Pretorio e Piazza Grande
Palazzo Ranghiasci, 19th c.
tion of religious rites in the ancient
western world which has ever come to
light. The tablets represent the heart of
an archaelogical collection which figures
among the richest in Umbria, with
pieces dating back to Umbrian and
Roman times. The numismatic
collection is made up of important Italic
and Roman specimens, ducal mediaeval
coins as well as papal coins produced by
the Gubbio mint. Displayed in the room
of the small loggia and along the secret
corridor the ceramics collection ranges
from ancient majolica (14th c.) to 19th c.
pieces.
One element of particular importance
is represented by the Gubbio Renaissance production, with the red and gold
lustres from Mastro Giorgio Andreoli’s
workshop (16th c.) The rooms on the top
floor house the art gallery, which is
especially rich in paintings of the
Umbrian school, dating from late 13th
to 19th c. Worthy of mention are the
illuminated reliquary (14th c.), the
moulded cross, work of the Gubbio
Master of the Cross (early 14th c.), the
Gonfalon painted by Sinibaldo Ibi
(1503), and the “Conception” by
Francesco Signorelli (around 1527).
Municipal Museum, Tabernacle for relics, 14th c.
Palazzo del Podestà (7)
Uncompleted outside and partly
modified, it consisted, at the beginning,
of a building in the form of a parallelepiped
with only one room on each of the original
floors. An octagonal pillar which runs
through the central part of the palace
supports the cross vault in every room.
The palace is now used as the townhall.
Piazza Grande (8)
The east side of the 14th c. supporting
structure is divided into four sections on
two levels, the façades of which give on to
Via Baldassini and are in every way similar
to those of mediaeval Gubbio dwellings.
The west side was built between 1480 and
1490 by Mastro Battista di Franceschino
from Perugia. It consists of four big spaces
covered by barrel vaults and opening on
to the street; the big arches were never
completely finished.
Palazzo dei Consoli and the big arches supporting Piazza Grande, seen from Via Baldassini
7
8
Palazzo Ducale (9)
Via Federico da Montefeltro
Standing opposite the Cathedral, it is the
result of the enlargement and modification of a group of mediaeval buildings: in fact it was built, from 1476, in
Renaissance form, by order of Federico
di Montefeltro, according to the plans of
Francesco di Giorgio Martini from Siena.
The work was completed under
Guidobaldo. The walls of the previous
buildings, including the old townhall, are
easily visible from the outside, especially
on the side facing the valley.
Inside the palace one finds a stupendous
courtyard, which corresponds to the area
previously occupied by the old townhall
square. Below, on three sides, run the
slender arches of the portico supported
Court of the Palazzo Ducale, Francesco di Giorgio Martini, 15th c.
Duomo - Adoration of the Shepherds, attr. to Giuliano Presutti, 16th c.
by columns and pillars at the corners;
the floor above is provided with elegant
architraved windows divided by pilasters.
At the moment it is possible to visit the
rooms on the ground floor, where fireplaces and other architectural features
can be seen, as well as the basement,
where interesting archaeological finds
have been made. Other wings of the
palace are used to house temporary
exhibitions.
Duomo (Cathedral) (10)
Via Federico da Montefeltro
The present building, built on the site of
a previous Romanesque church, dates
back to the 13th and 14th c. Around the
circular window the façade bears reliefs
with symbols of the Evangelists and with
the Agnus Dei. The interior, with a single
nave, with no transept and with transverse arches supporting the pitched
roof, is the result of renovation carried
out at the beginning of the 20th c. The
church is rich in paintings by 16th c.
artists from Gubbio (the Nuccis, the
Basilis), but also by non- local artists
(Sinibaldo Ibi, Giuliano Presutti, Dono
Doni). Most significant is the baroque
Complex of the Duomo and presbytery (Canonica di San Mariano), 13th –14th c.
chapel which opens up in the middle of
the wall on the right:it contains frescoes
by Allegrini and a canvas (“La Nascita
della Vergine”- “Birth of the Virgin”) by
Gherardi. On the left of the high altar is
the Seat of the Magistrates, with mock
marquetry by Benedetto Nucci. In the
choir can be found the Episcopal Throne,
carved round about the middle of the
16th c. The late Roman sarcophagus
under the high altar contains the remains of San Giacomo and San Mariano,
incumbents of the church. On the cathedral walls can still be seen traces of frescoes from the 14th and 15th c. The wall
paintings in the apse, on the triumphal
arch and in the left-hand chapels are
works by Augusto Stoppolini (1916-18).
Diocesan Museum
(Museo Diocesano)
Via Federico da Montefeltro
The Diocesan Museum is situated in the
old presbytery. Its art collection
chronicles the long historyof the Diocese
of Gubbio. The archaeological section
exhibits artefacts of the Roman era and
early Middle Ages; in the adjoining
rooms are to be found examples of
Interior of the Duomo, 13th –14th c.
paintings on wood by the Gubbio artist
Mello.
Fifteenth century painting is represented
by works from the studios of Ottaviano
Nelli and Taddeo di Bartolo, as well as by
a series of detached frescoes representing
scenes from Christ’s Passion. In the
collection of vestments and liturgical
furnishings, the jewel in the crown is a
finely decorated Flemish cope from the
Renaissance period. Paintings by artists
such as Benedetto Nucci, Giovanni M.
Baldassini and Girolamo Danti complete
the art collection.
On the ground floor of the museum one
can see the old “Canons’Barrel”, a genuine curiosityin the historyof winemaking,
with its capacity of 19,350 litres.
Botte dei Canonici (Canons’barrel)
Diocesan Museum
9
Ranghiasci Park, 19th c.
10
Ranghiasci Park (Parco Ranghiasci)
(11) Entrance from Via Gabrielli and
Via della Cattedrale
The park was commissioned by Marquess
Francesco Ranghiasci Brancaleoni, and
laid out between 1831 and 1849. The
Ranghiasci Park:access bridge and lodge
project behind the implementation of this
green area was the creation of an English
garden with large alleys, on sloping ground
above the city walls. Old buildings were
pulled down and replaced by others in the
neoclassical style; some mediaeval ruins
were renovated in order to allow suggestive, picturesque walks among chestnuts,
limes, maples, holm-oaks and horsechestnuts.
Palazzo del “Bargello” (12)
Largo del Bargello
This is a characteristic and well-preserved
14th c. Gubbio building. According to
tradition - undocumented however - it
used to be the residence of the “Bargello”
(the magistrate in charge of the citypolice).
On the square in front of the house one
can see the 16th century fountain of the
same name, rebuilt in the last two
centuries. It is also called “la fontana dei
matti”(“the fountain of the madmen”):
anyone who runs three times round it
receives the symbolic diploma of “matto
di Gubbio” (“madman of Gubbio”) after
being “baptized”by its water.
Bishop’s Palace (Vescovado) (13)
Largo del Vescovado
The Bishop’s Palace springs from the 18th
c. renovation of a previous building. It is
the seat not only of the Episcopal Curia,
but also of the Diocesan Archive, rich in
most precious documents regarding the
history of the church in Gubbio.
Overlooking the small square of the same
name is an ancient building displaying
elegant, 13th c. mullioned windows.
Church of San Marziale (14)
Largo San Marziale
The Church of Sant’Andrea, now called
Church of San Marziale, is first documented in the 12th c.; in 1533 it was
included in the monastery of San Mar-
Largo del Bargello
ziale, which abuts on it on two sides. The
main feature of this Romanesque building
is the asymmetrical design of the basilica:
two naves separated by arches on thick
pillars, the larger of which is provided with
an apse, and one small nave on the left
side. A real façade is lacking, as the church
extends into the area which constituted
the nuns’choir. The latter houses a few
paintings, among which the “Madonna col
Bambino e Santi”(“Madonna and Child
with Saints”) by Benedetto Nucci (1553)
and the “St Victoria”attributed to Giovanni
B. Michelini
Porta di S. Agostino (St. Augustine’s
Gate) (V) Via Dante
This is a late 13th c. city gate. It is the only
city gate in Gubbio which has been
preserved complete with donjon and
portcullis room. On the façade it bears an
old coat of arms of the city. Under the arch,
on the internal wall, we can still see traces
of a fresco with “Madonna and Saints”.
Museum of Lustred Majolica
“Torre di Porta Romana” Via Dante
Inside St. Augustine’s Gate one can admire
a collection of Renaissance as well as 19th
and 20th c. lustre ceramics, which includes
artefacts by Mastro Giorgio Andreoli and
others from the 16th c. Gubbio workshops,
along with specimens from the larger
manufacturers of traditional pieces in
Gubbio, Gualdo Tadino, etc. In the tower
can also be found other material of historic
and artistic interest.
11
Church of Sant’Agostino (15)
Via di Porta Romana
This dates back to the second half of the
13thc. The interior consists of a central
nave with beams supported by pointed
arches resting on pillars. Among the
outstanding art works should be
mentioned: “Jesus and the Samaritan
Woman”(1580) by Virgilio Nucci (1st
Porta di Sant’Agostino, 13th c.
Church of Sant’Agostino,
frescoes of the apse, 1420 approx.
12
chapel on the left); “La Madonna del Soccorso”(“Mary our Helper”), a late 15th c. anonymous painting (5th chapel on the left);
“La Madonna di Grazia”(“Our Lady of
Grace”), a fresco attributed to Ottaviano
Nelli (3rd chapel on the right);“St. Augustine’s
Baptism”(1594), by Felice Damiani (4th
chapel on the right). Of particular interest
are the frescoes of the apse and the
triumphal arch, carried out by Nelli and the
artists of his studio. On the triumphal arch,
one can see “Il Giudizio Universale”(“The
Last Judgement”), maybe created with the
help of Jacopo Salimbeni from San Severino.
Illustrated in the apse are “Stories of St.
Augustine’s life”. These paintings, which can
be dated around 1420, are among the most
important examples of late Gothic
Eugubine art.
Church of Santa Maria Nuova (16)
Via Nelli
This dates back to the end of the 13th c. In
the first decades of the 20th c. wooden
furnishings, art objects and paintings were
brought from other Gubbio churches to this
particular church. On the right-hand wall
of the church can be seen the famous
“Madonna of the Belvedere” (1413 ?), a
masterpiece of Ottaviano Nelli. It is one of
the most refined examples of international
Gothic taste in our region. The other frescoes are also interesting, especially those
of the internal wall of the façade. Foremost
among them is a “St. Michael the Archangel”
attributed to the Salimbeni brothers from
Church of the Holy Trinity and shrine of Sant’Ubaldo
San Severino. “Abbot St. Anthony”, on the
other hand, which can be seen on the lefthand wall, is attributed to the 14th c. painter
Mello from Gubbio.
Church of San Francesco della Pace (17)
Via Savelli della Porta
This church was built during the first half
of the 17th c. by the Università dei Muratori
(University of Masons) on the site of the
cave where, according to legend, the Gubbio
wolf used to live. Inside one can see the
stone on which, it is said, was sealed the
pact between St. Francis and the wolf. In
this church are kept the Ceri “mezzani”
(“medium-sized”), as well as the small statues of St. Ubaldo, San Giorgio and Sant’Antonio which are placed on top of the Ceri
during the famous May 15th celebrations.
The painting entitled “Madonna and Child
with Saints”is by Giovanni B. Michelini from
Foligno.
Church of the “Santissima Trinità” (18)
Corso Garibaldi
In the 14th and 15th c. this church belonged
to the Flagellants of the Crucified of St.
Augustine. In the 16th c. it became home to
the Tertiary Franciscan nuns. Traces of the
early structure are still visible on the façade.
The interior of the church was radically
transformed in the 18th c. Worthy of note
is the stucco decoration of the presbytery.
Among the altarpieces, the one of “St. Joseph
and two female Saints”byGiuseppe Reposati
(2nd altar on the right) is particularly beautiful.
Church of Santa Maria Nuova,
Madonna del Belvedere by Ottaviano Nelli, 1413 (?)
Church of San Pietro (19)
Piazza San Pietro
The building was consecrated around the
middle of the 11th c. It belonged to the
Cassinese order of Benedictines, then to
the Olivetan and Camaldolese orders. The
lower part of the façade has stylistic features going back to the 11th c. The main
door is flanked by four blind arches resting
on half-columns crowned by Corinthian
capitals. On the wall there are small ledges
with representations of animals and
plants. Above can be seen traces of the
original façade. The interior, whose construction was begun in the early 16th c., is
rich in works of art. On the internal wall
of the façade is the organ decorated by
Antonio and Giovanni B. Maffei (1580 85). In the chapels can be seen paintings
by Virgilio Nucci (“St. Sebastian”, 2nd altar
on the left), Francesco Allegrini (“St.
Michael”, 3rd altar on the left), Raffaellino
del Colle (“Nativity”, “Stories of Ss. Placid
and Maurus”, 1540, 5th altar on the right),
Rutilio Manetti (“Martyrdom of St.
Bartholomew”, 1st altar on the right). In the
transept, on the right the “Transito di S.
Romualdo”(“The Passing of St. Romuald”)
by Agostino Tofanelli, on the left a “Cristo
deposto”(“Christ taken down from the
Cross”), in wood, of the 13th c. The high
altar is the work of Domenico Valli (1710)
of Gubbio; the choir organ was built in
1689.
Palazzo Beni (20)
Via Cavour
It was created by combining some older
buildings in the first half of the 15th c., when
the Beni family returned to Gubbio after
a long exile.The house was decorated with
valuable frescoes by Ottaviano Nelli.There
remain a few coats of arms painted in the
little loggia of the smaller court, and
allegoric figures in a hall on the first floor.
Some of these paintings, detached at the
end of the 19th c., are now part of the
Cagnola Collection at the Gazzada near
Varese.
Panoramic view of Gubbio with the monastic complex of San Pietro
Church of San Domenico (21)
Piazza Giordano Bruno
From the documents we know that a
church dedicated to St. Martin existed on
this site as early as the 11th c. The present
building was erected at the end of the 13th
c. and conceded to the Dominicans. In 1339
the church was extended. Around the
middle of the 15th c. it was enlarged still
further with the building of the present
presbytery beyond the old city walls. In the
18th c. the interior underwent a radical
transformation. Among the works preserved in the church the following are worthy
of mention:the wall decorations of the first
two chapels on the right and on the left
(14th-15th c., among which the “Stories of St.
Peter the Martyr”from Nelli’s studio, and a
late 14th c. “Coronation of the Virgin”); the
frescoes (1546-57) in the Lombards’chapel
(4th on the left);“St.Vincent Ferrer”,a painting
on wood attributed to Jacopo Bedi (5th
chapel on the left); the “Mary Magdalene”
(1612) by Giovanni Baglioni (6th chapel on
the left); the “Tre Regni” (“The Three
Kingdoms”) (1603) by Felice Damiani (left
transept); the “Communion of the Apostles”,
a painting on wood attributed to Giuliano
Presutti (7th chapel on the right). Very
interesting are also the lectern in the choir
and the choir itself, partly inlaid by
Pierangelo di Antonio, and partly gilded
(16th c.).
13
Casa del “Capitano del Popolo”(22)
Via del Capitano del Popolo
A noteworthy and well-preserved Eugubine mediaeval building, possiblydating
back to the end of the 13th c.Tradition has
it that it was the residence of the “Captain
of the People”, even though this is nowhere
documented. For a while it belonged to
the Gabrielli family.
14
Church of Santa Croce della Foce (23)
Stradicciola Santa Croce
It was built in the 13th c. on the site of an
older chapel. The first mention of the
confraternity that still resides there is
found as far back as the 15th c. The structure was radically modified in the 16th17th c. Among the noteworthy works of
art present inside the church are: the
“Adoration of the Cross”, a 16th c. banner by
Pietro P. Baldinacci and Silvio (1st altar on
the left); “St. Charles” by Alessandro
Brunelli from Perugia (3rd altar on the left);
the “Madonna and Child with Saints”
(1668) by Allegrini (2nd altar on the right).
The wooden decoration on the high altar,
which includes the statues of the “Dead
Christ”and of the “Madonna Addolorata”
(“Our Lady of Sorrows”), was executed
between the 17th and 18th c. by Carlo
Magistretti and Domenico Valli.
Particularly interesting are the stuccos of
the triumphal arch and the ceiling of the
nave, both 17th c. works. It is from this
church that, on Good Friday of every year,
the evocative Procession of the Dead
Christ starts.
Municipal Theatre (Teatro Comunale)
(24) Via del Popolo
Inaugurated in 1738, it was designed and
decorated by Maurizio Lottici and Giovanni Mattioli from Parma. In 1846 it was
partly pulled down to be rebuilt in more
extensive and refined style, according to
plans by the engineer Ercole Salmi. The
painted decorations of the new building
were done by Raffaele Antonioli, from
Gubbio.
Every year it offers a good theatre
programme (mainly plays) as well as
concerts, recitals, etc.
Church of San Secondo (25)
Via Tifernate
It was apparently built in the 5th century
A.D. In 1141, the canons of S. Secondo
accepted to follow the Augustinian rule.
The present aspect of the whole structure
Cloister of the graveyard of San Secondo,
Martyrdom of San Sebastiano by Jacopo Bedi, 1458
Interior of the Church of Santa Maria della Foce
is the result of renovation work carried
out in the 14th, 15th and 16th c.The interior
of the church was completely renovated
in the 18th c. Among the altarpieces,
worthy of note are those by Bernardino
Nocchi (“Transito di S. Giuseppe”- “The
Passing of St. Joseph”and “S. Agostino
confuta i Manichei” - “St. Augustine
confounds the Manicheans”, 1st and 3rd
altars on the right) and Stefano Tofanelli
(“The Martyrdom of S. Secondo”, 2nd altar
on the right). On the 2nd altar on the left,
one can see a late 15th c. fresco, attributed
to Orlando Merlini. Of great interest too
Roman Theatre, 1st c. B.C.
are the high altar (1343) and the apse, the
latter having been brought back to its old
Gothic form. In the old graveyard in front
of the church, a few frescoes are left,
among which those of the Panfili chapel
(1458): they show the “Stories of St. Sebastian”and are the work of a local painter,
Mediaeval walls, 13th c.
Jacopo Bedi.The altar of the chapel, dated
1134, comes from the ruined church of St.
Donatus at Pulpiano.
City walls
Gubbio’s city walls, still well-preserved,
were built at the end of the 13th c. and
later adapted to new defence requirements. One can walk round the whole
town hardly ever losing sight of the
boundary walls (where only one gate is
missing, the “Porta del Marmoreo”, demolished in the 19th c.) The six gates which
lead into the town are of remarkable
interest: the towering Porta di Sant’Agostino, the double Porta di San Pietro,
the Porta degli Ortacci, the Porta del Borgo
(also called Porta di Santa Lucia), and
those of Santa Croce and “dell’Angelo”(also
known as Porta di Sant’Ubaldo). Some of
them still show remains of painted
decoration and coats of arms of the city,
or even preserve the old wooden doors.
Roman Theatre (Teatro Romano)(26)
Viale del Teatro Romano
This was built at the end of the 1st century
B.C. Originally the cavea must have been
divided into two tiered rows, resting on
top of radial constructions made of
quadrangular limestone blocks. The top
was crowned by a portico formed by 27
arches in opus quadratum. A podium
about one metre high separated the
orchestra pit from the proscenium. The
structure which is visible today is due to
the renovation work carried out between
the 19th and 20th centuries. A fine summer
season of classics is put on there every
year.
The objects found during archaeological
excavations, coming also from other areas
of town, are assembled in the nearby
Antiquarium, together with explanatory
pictures and captions.
15
Mausoleum of the 40 Martyrs
(Mausoleo dei 40 Martiri) (27)
Via del Mausoleo
The mausoleum houses the mortal remains of forty Gubbio inhabitants, victims
of a revenge execution by the German
occupation troops at dawn on June 22nd
1944.
16
Mausoleo “di Pomponio Grecino” (28)
Via Beniamino Ubaldo
This Roman funeral monument is traditionally identified as that of Pomponio Grecino, prefect of Iguvium. All that remains of
it is the big, external, circular mound of
cement conglomerate, while the internal
decoration which originally rose up from
the limestone base has disappeared. The
funeral chamber is square and has a barrelvaulted roof. It dates back to the 1st c. B.C.
Church of the Madonna del Prato
(Our Lady of the Meadow) (29)
Via Perugina
In 1662 Bishop Sperelli blessed the first
stone of this church; eight years later the
miraculous picture of the “Madonna del
Prato” was placed on the high altar. The
building, in baroque style, was constructed
along the lines of the church of S. Carlino
at the Quattro Fontane in Rome, work of
Francesco Borromini. Only the façade differs from the illustrious model.The architect
was Carlo Perugini of Gubbio. The interior
stucco decoration is interesting. The dome
was frescoed by Francesco Allegrini, aided
by Louis Dorigny (1677-78). Other works
present in the church are by Ciro Ferri,
Gaetano Lapis and Domenico Viani.
Church of Santa Maria della Piaggiola
(30) Via della Piaggiola
Built in the early17th c. on the site of a
previous chapel dedicated to the Madonna,
it was inaugurated in 1625. It was the seat
of the Confraternities of the Gonfalon and
of St. Francis of Paula. Prominent inside are
the exquisite stuccos, largely by Palmerino
Allegrucci, Francesco Caminoni and the
Guidangeli brothers from Pesaro.The fresco
on the high altar, which comes from the old
chapel, is by Ottaviano Nelli.The other painting, removed together with its stone block
(“Christ dead in the sepulchre”, 1st altar on
the right) is attributed to Jacopo Bedi.
Among the altarpieces there are works by
Michelini (2nd altar on the left) and Allegrini
(3rd altar on the left).
Church of the Vittorina (31)
Via della Vittorina
Built on the spot where, according to tradition, St. Francis met the wolf of Gubbio.
It seems the church was given to the Saint
by Bishop Villano at the beginning of the
13th c. Around 1240 they left it to the Clares.
In 1538 the nuns gave the building in
Church of the Vittorina, St.Francis and the wolf,
detail of the altarpiece by Giovanni M. Baldassini,1597
perpetuity to the Company of S. Maria della
Vittorina.The interior is almost all frescoes.
The ceiling decoration belongs to the 16th
c. Eugubine school. At the base of the vault
the “Stories of the Virgin”are depicted in 14
panels. Numerous votive frescoes, mostly
from the beginning of the 16th c., cover the
side-walls of the church. Behind the
beautiful stone altar, is painted a “Crucifixion”attributed to Orlando Merlini. Other
paintings can be found in the side-chapel
(“Stories of St. Francis”, dated 1639;“Madonna and Child with Saints”, a canvas by
Giovanni M. Baldassini).
Basilica of Sant’Ubaldo (32)
near the top of Monte Ingino
The church, documented as far back as the
13th c., was restored in the early 16th c. The
convent was built in the same period and
given over to the Regular Lateran Canons.
The Canons were replaced by the Passionist
Fathers (1786) and then in 1816 by the
Friars Minor. The exterior of the complex,
apart from the main doorway, is devoid of
ornament. The cloister is very suggestive,
now without the frescoes that once
decorated it. The interior, which has been
altered several times, has five naves. In the
basilica are kept the “Ceri”of Gubbio. Above
the high altar, can be seen, inside a NeoGothic urn, the incorrupt body of Ubald,
patron Saint of Gubbio (who died in 1160).
this monastery in 1331. In 1342 Bishop
Peter upgraded it from a hermitage to a
monastery. An intense religious life
developed there, especially when Blessed
Arcangelo Canetoli went to stay there
(1498-1513). His body rests under the high
altar of the church. In the monastery of
St.Ambrose are also preserved the mortal
remains of Bishop Agostino Steuco, a 16th
c. Gubbio philosopher. Among the works
of art of particular interest are:in the church
a canvas by Annibale Beni; in the sacristy
the “Crucifixion”, a 14th c. fresco. The
architecture of the complex testifies to a
succession of alterations: on the 13th c.
foundations Renaissance and baroque
modifications have been carried out.
The site of the monastery is remarkable,
17
Cloister and external view of the Basilica of Sant’Ubaldo, 16th c.
Among the paintings present in the church
the following are worthy of note: the
“Baptism of Christ”by Felice Damiani; the
“Transfiguration and Saints”, partial copy of
Raphael by Giovanni M. Baldassini (1585);
the “Madonna and Child between St. Ubald
and St. John the Baptist”by Salvi Savini
(1610); “St. Ursula”by Allegrini. There are
beautiful stained glass windows (1922)
depicting the “Stories from the Life of
St.Ubald”.
Monastery of Sant’Ambrogio (33)
Via del Fosso
Hermits who had previously lived scattered
around the Gubbio area came to settle in
Monastery of Sant’Ambrogio, 14th c.
clinging as it is to the steep slopes of
Monte Calvo.
Bottaccione Gorge (Gola del Bottaccione) (34) Via Giove Pennino
Here can be seen the exposed strata of
sedimentary rock which were laid down on
an ancient sea-bed between 140 and 30
million years ago. The middle of this period
of deposition coincides with the division
between the Secondary and Tertiary
periods, the so-called K/T limit (65 million
years ago): there then occurred a
catastrophic event which led to the
disappearance of many animals, among
which the land dinosaurs. The rocks,
View of Gubbio from the Roman Theatre park
18
especially in the formation of the Red
Scaglia, absorb small proportions of iron
ore which have made it possible to do
palaeomagnetic testing. From this it has
been established, among other things,
that the Italian peninsula, in the last 80
million years, has undergone an anticlockwise rotation of between 50° and 70°
with respect to Europe.The gorge has come
to the fore because of an important
discovery made in the K/ T limit zone.
When measuring the concentration of
iridium in the Red Scaglia, a significant
increase in the presence of this element in
the K/T limit was noted, a finding which
was later confirmed worldwide and which
is probably due to an influx of extraterrestrial material coming from the solar
system. The most likely hypothesis is that
a large meteorite impacted on the earth’s
surface, sending into the atmosphere great
quantities of dust which hung in the air for
several years, absorbing important quantities of solar radiation at the expense of
life cycles. The effect of this impact
was catastrophic for life on earth. Plants
died for lack of light, or their growth was
halted. Most of the animals which depended directly on such vegetation became
extinct. Only less specialized organisms
(among which the ancestral mammals)
managed to survive. As well as for its great
geological importance the Bottaccione
Gorge is of remarkable interest from a
historical and artistic point of view, in
particular for the audacious mediaeval
aqueduct.
Other monuments
Churches:San Benedetto (Largo Pentapoli),
San Filippo (Via Cairoli), San Francesco di
Paola (V. Fabiani), San Giovanni Decollato
(V. Savelli della Porta), San Giuliano (V.
Consoli), San Giuseppe (V. Savelli della
Porta), Santa Lucia (Borgo Santa Lucia),
Santa Maria dei Servi (Corso Garibaldi).
Residences:Accoromboni (Corso Garibaldi),
Barbi (Corso Garibaldi), Benamati (Via
Cavour), Benveduti (V.Gabrielli), Benveduti
Massarelli (V. Massarelli), Buttelli (V.
Consoli), Della Porta (V. Savelli della Porta),
Fabiani (V. Savelli della Porta), Fonti (V.
Savelli della Porta), Gabrielli (V. Gabrielli),
Ondedei Bentivogli (V. Cavour), “delle
Orfanelle” (“of the little Orphan Girls”) (V.
XX Settembre), Marini (V. Savelli della
Porta), Panfili (V. Cavour), Ranghiasci al
Corso (Corso Garibaldi), Remosetti (V.
Consoli), Tondi (V. Cavour), Tondi al
Mercato (Piazza 40 Martiri).
Miscellaneous: “Arch of San Marziale”(Via
Dante), “Statue of Sant’Ubaldo” (Corso
Garibaldi), ruins of Roman thermal bath
complex (Viale Teatro Romano), ruins of
the "Cassero", ruins of the "Rocca" (the
fortress) on Monte Ingino.
Theme Trails
Archaeological trail
Archaeological section of Municipal
Museum (Museo Comunale) - Roman
Theatre - Antiquarium - Mausoleum “of
Pomponio Grecino”- Ruins of Temple of
Diana at Monteleto.
Romanesque trail
Church of San Pietro: façade - Church of
San Marziale - Archaeological section of
Municipal Museum - Church of San
Felicissimo - Church of San Donato at
Madonna del Ponte - Parish Church of
San Giovanni Battista at Loreto - Abbey
of San Benedetto Vecchio - Abbey of San
Bartolomeo at Camporeggiano.
Gothic Trail
Church of San Francesco - Church of San
Giovanni - “House of Sant’Ubaldo” Townhalls and Piazza Grande - Municipal
Museum - Duomo - Diocesan Museum
(Museo Diocesano) - Palazzo “del Bargello”
- Church of Sant’Agostino - Church of
Santa Maria Nuova - Church of San
Domenico - House of the “Capitano del
Popolo” - Church of San Secondo - City
walls and gates - Monastery of Sant’Ambrogio.
Late Gothic Painting Trail
Church of San Francesco: frescoes in the
lefthand apse - Church of Santa Maria
Nuova: “Madonna of the Belvedere” Church of Sant’Agostino: frescoes of the
triumphal arch and the apse - Diocesan
Museum: “Stories of the Passion” (from
the Church of Santa Maria dei Laici) Gubbio in the snow
Cemetery cloister of the Church of San
Secondo: frescoes of the Panfili chapel.
Renaissance and Late Mannerist Trail
Municipal Museum - Ducal Palace Duomo - Diocesan Museum - Palazzo
Della Porta - Church of San Pietro Church of San Domenico.
Baroque and Rococo Trail
Church of Santa Maria della Piaggiola Church of Madonna del Prato - Church
of Santa Croce della Foce - Duomo:
Chapel of the Holy Sacrament - Church
of the Santissima Trinità - Church of San
Benedetto.
Neoclassical and Historicist Trail
Palazzo Ranghiasci - Ranghiasci Park Municipal Theatre - Museum of Lustred
Majolica (Museo della Maiolica a
Lustro,“Torre di Porta Romana”(historicist
ceramics).
Franciscan Trail
Church of San Francesco - Art Collection
of San Francesco - Church of San
Francesco della Pace - Church of the
Vittorina - Monastery of San Verecondo
at Vallingegno - Church of Santa Maria
Assunta at Caprignone.
Apennine Trail
Bottaccione Gorge - Basilica di
Sant’Ubaldo - Rocca on top of Monte
Ingino - Coppo Park - Scheggia. From here
you can take one of two directions:1. Isola
Fossara - Abbey of Santa Maria di Sitria Hermitage of Fonte Avellana; 2. Costacciaro - Sigillo - Monte Cucco.
19
Events
Procession of the Dead
Christ (Good Friday)
This is organized by the
Confraternity of Santa
Croce della Foce. It is a
symbolic representation of
Christ’s Passion, which has
been repeated every year
for centuries, following a
Procession of the Dead Christ
tradition that has never
been interrupted. The
procession starts with lay brothers
dressed in sackcloth and playing
instruments called “battistrangole”that
produce a rattling noise, and others
carrying the objects characteristic of the
Passion and the skull that symbolizes
Golgotha. Then come the effigies of the
Dead Christ and Our Lady of Sorrows,
20
valuable wooden sculptures produced by
local craftsmen. Behind the statues of
Christ and the Virgin Mary the singers
of the Miserere intone their chants, passed
down through the centuries by oral
tradition. The procession goes through
the main streets of the town, starting at
nightfall from the Church of Santa Croce.
Big bonfires are lit in various places along
the route.
The Race of the “Ceri” (May 15th )
This takes place every year on the eve of
the feast of the patron Saint, Ubaldo.The
“Ceri” are three tall, heavy wooden
structures on top of which are placed the
statues, respectively, of Sant’Ubaldo (St.
Ubald, protector of masons), San Giorgio
(St. George, protector of merchants) and
Sant’Antonio Abate (Abbot St. Antony,
protector of muleteers and pea-
The “birate”of the Ceri on Piazza Grande
sants).These structures are fixed on to
frames (“barelle”), which the Ceri bearers
(“ceraioli”) carry on their shoulders while
running through the streets of the town
and up to the Basilica of Sant’Ubaldo, near the top of Monte Ingino. An
evocative ritual takes place before the
race. At midday on Piazza Grande one
can witness the spectacular raising
(“alzata”) of the Ceri; immediately after
The Race of the Ceri in Corso Garibaldi
wards the Ceri complete three laps
of the square at high speed, and then
parade separately round the streets of
the city. Then all three of them pause in
Via Savelli, where they remain until the
race starts. In the afternoon a procession
bearing the statue of Sant’Ubaldo comes
out of the Cathedral, and goes to the top
of Via Dante, where the Bishop blesses
the Ceri; that is the signal for the beginning of the frantic race. After having run
through the main streets of the town,
they go back to Piazza Grande and do
three more laps (“birate”), before reaching
the Porta dell’Angelo (known also as
The biggest Christmas tree in the world
Sbandieratori”(flag-flyers)
Porta di Sant’Ubaldo), where they start
climbing up Monte Ingino. The Ceri are
placed inside the basilica of Sant’Ubaldo,
whereas the small statues of the three
Saints are brought back into town in
torchlit procession, accompanied by
chanting. It is possible that this festival
has its roots in ancient pagan rites, but
its Christian character and its celebration
of Sant’Ubaldo are historically proven
and documented.
electric cable. It is lit from December 7th
until January 10th.
The Crossbow Festival (“Palio della
Balestra”) (last Sunday in May)
This a traditional contest using the
ancient crossbow resting on a support.
The Gubbio and Sansepolcro arbalesters,
dressed in typical period costumes, meet
every year in the striking setting of Piazza
Grande. The object is to hit a target placed at a distance of 36 metres. The
arbalester who manages to hit the target
in the middle receives as a prize a valuable
banner (the “Palio”). During the event
one can enjoy the extremely skilful and
spectacular performance of the local
“Sbandieratori”(ceremonial flag-wavers).
At the end of the contest proper a
historical pageant involving all the
competitors proceeds through the streets
of the town. The “Palio”of the Crossbow
is repeated on the first Sunday of September in Sansepolcro.
The biggest Christmas Tree in the
World
Set out on the slopes of Monte Ingino,
it consists of 800 lights and 20 km of
Other Events
The descent of the Ceri (1st Sunday in
May); Race of the medium Ceri (last but
one Sunday in May); Race of the small
Ceri (June 2nd); Tournament of the
Quarters of Gubbio (August 14th); Car
rally for the “Luigi Fagioli” Trophy
(August);White Truffle Fair,also featuring
local food products (end of Octoberbeginning of November); life-size crib in
the Vittorina park (December-early
January); programme of Classical Plays
at the Roman Theatre (July-August);
Gubbio No Borders SummerFestival
(August); Gubbio Festival (September);
Season of Plays at the Municipal Theatre.
Biennial Sculpture Exhibition: Metal,
Earth, Cement.
Palio della Balestra (Crossbow Festival)
21
Craft, Cuisine, Services
A similar evolution can be traced in
ironwork, a very important craft as early
as the 14th c., which, from the end of the
19th c., evolved into an artistic craft, a
character it still retains today.
The mediaeval and Renaissance revival
also influenced woodworking, which
flourished particularly between the end
of the 15th c. and the first half of the 18th
c. Beside the production of period furniture, today we also find the restoration
of antique furniture.
Other craft activities include instrument
making, leatherwork and plaster
moulding.
Picus and Circe, Mastro Giorgio Andreoli and Francesco Xanto Avelli, 1528
22
Craft
Among the craft activities historically
established in Gubbio, ceramics, wood
and wrought ironwork hold a
particularly prominent position. The
production of ceramics expanded
rapidly between the end of the 15th c.
and the middle of the 16th c., in
conjunction with the lustreware from
the workshop of Master Giorgio
Andreoli. It enjoyed renewed popularity
with the 19th c. historicist revival. From
Gubbio pottery
1920 onwards many pottery and
decoration workshops were opened,
anumber of which still continue production today.
Cuisine
In Gubbio the art of eating well has a long
tradition. The plain wholesome cuisine
of Gubbio uses mainly typical local
products:meat from mountain pastures,
game, cheeses and charcuterie, several
local varieties of salad, olive oil and fine
wines from the hilly regions, various mineral waters from the Apennine chain
(some with particularly therapeutic properties). The local dishes are those of the
old days, cooked in the tried and tested
manner: grilled meat, filling “tagliatelle”,
Truffles
Typical local cuisine
the ‘crescia di Pasqua’ (Easter cheesecake), and ‘crescia al panaro’ - typical
round, flat bread baked on the griddle
and especially delicious with sliced ham
Monuments of the District
or fricassee (of lamb, duck, chicken or
rabbit). All this may be pervaded by the
unmistakeable aroma of white or black
truffle, which are very common in the
Gubbio area. Typical Gubbio dishes can
be found on the menus of all local
restaurants, often places full of character
which offer a warm, simple welcome,
typical of the Umbrian people.
Services and Facilities
The town of Gubbio has two cinemas,
many sporting facilities (swimmingpools, tennis courts, gymnasiums,
stadiums, bowling-alley), public parks
(Coppo Park on Monte Ingino, the Roman Theatre park, the Vittorina park, as
well as Ranghiasci Park), discothèques,
libraries and archives, such as the
Biblioteca Comunale Sperelliana (Municipal Library), the Sezione di Archivio
di Stato (State Archives), the Archivio
della Curia Vescovile (Archives of the
Episcopal Curia).
Cable-car
Links the town with Monte Ingino (908
metres above sea-level) and the Basilica
of Sant’ Ubaldo. The mountain is rich
Cable-car
in extensive and beautiful pinewoods
and offers an unforgettable view of the
Apennines of Umbria and the Marches.
Principal Monuments in the District
of Gubbio
Gubbio is at the centre of a vast district
extending from the Apennines of
Umbria and the Marches and from the
Serra di Burano as far as the hills overlooking Valtiberina, between the valley
of the Assino and that of the Chiascio.
It is an area rich in beauty spots, served
by an extensive network of roads and
paths, and dotted with castles, churches,
abbeys and monasteries:
- Abbey of Alfiolo, 12th c.
- Abbey of San Bartolomeo at
Camporeggiano, 11th c.
- Abbey of San Benedetto, 12th c.
- Castle of Baccaresca, 14th c.
- Castle of Biscina, 13th c.
- Castle of Branca, 12th c.
- Castle of Carbonana, 12th c.
- Castle of Castiglione Ildebrandi, 11th c.
- Castle of Colmollaro,
documented from 14th c.
- Castle of Petroia, 11th c.
- Castle of Piazza, 12th c.
- Castle of Vallingegno,
documented from 14th c.
- Church of San Donato, 12th c.
- Church of San Felicissimo, 12th c.
23
Olympic-size swimming-pool
- Church of Madonna del Ponte, 16th c.
- Church of Santa Maria Assunta
at Caprignone, 13th c.
- Church of Santa Maria del Suffragio
at San Marco, 17th c.
Excursions
Monastery of San Verecondo at Vallingegno
24
- Monastery of San Verecondo
at Vallingegno, 12th c.
- Parish Church of San Giovanni Battista
at Loreto, 13th c.
- Ruins of the so-called Temple of Diana
at Monteleto.
Monte Cucco Natural Park
This is a predominantly mountainous
park, featuring at the higher altitudes
beechwoods and pasture land, with rocky
cliffs and most picturesque gorges.Monte
Cucco (1566 metres above sea level) is
known also for one of the most important
karstic cave systems in Italy, partly open
to visits. Inside the park can be found
numerous minor historical places of interest, rich in cultural and artistic value.
The beauty of the place makes the park
ideal for the practice of sports such as
hiking, poney-trekking, cross-country
skiing, hang-gliding and caving.
Monte Cucco natural park
Hermitage of Fonte Avellana
The foundation of the monastery is
attributed to St. Romuald (11th c.), and
its development to San Pier Damiani.
The very simple church (12th c.) is one of
the foremost examples of religious Romanesque architecture in the region.The
crypt, apse and roof with its ample crossvault s are perfectly preserved.
Noteworthy parts of the monastic
complex are: the small cloister commissioned by San Pier Damiani; the
barrel-vaulted chapter-room; the beautiful, luminous scriptorium, which features numerous single-light windows
along the longer sides.
Text by Ettore Sannipoli
Historical notes drawn from studies by Fernando Costantini
Photographs: Gavirati, Giancarlo Gasponi, Alberto Gori, Photo Studio,Renato Maria Rogari, Paolo Tosti
Graphic design and map: Lapislunae, Gubbio
Printing: Litograf, Città di Castello
Translation by Timothy Whitmore
how to get to Gubbio
By car
For those coming from the north
Motorway A14 (Autostrada Adriatica):
- exit at Cesena (160 km from Gubbio)
and head for Perugia (E45) as far as the
exit for Gubbio;
- exit at Fano (76 km from Gubbio); take
the Flaminia expressway (s.s. Flaminia) in
direction of Rome as far as the turn-off
for Gubbio at Pontericcioli.
For those coming from Liguria
and Tuscany
Motorway A1 (Autostrada del Sole):
- exit at Arezzo (96 km from Gubbio) and
head for Città di Castello, Umbertide
(E45) as far as the exit for Gubbio (25 km).
For those coming from the south
Motorway A1 (Autostrada del Sole):
-exit at Orte (120 km from Gubbio) and
take the E45 in direction of
Perugia–Cesena as far as the exit for
Gubbio (30 km).
Dist ances from
Gubbio:
Ancona
113 km
Arezzo
90 km
Assisi
48 km
Bari
569 km
Bologna
230 km
Fabriano
35 km
Fano
75 km
Florence
170 km
Foligno
60 km
Milan
385 km
Naples
433 km
Pertugia
39 km
Rome
200 km
Spoleto
88 km
Terni
116 km
Trieste
523 km
Urbino
70 km
Motorway A14 (Autostrada Adriatica):
- exit at Ancona North (90 km from
Gubbio) and head for Jesi, Fabriano and
Gubbio.
By train
Line Rome-Ancona
- get off at Fossato di Vico/Gubbio station
(18 km from Gubbio);then bus connexion
to Gubbio.
Line Florence-Terontola-Perugia
- get off at Perugia-Fontivegge (40 km
from Gubbio); then bus connexion to
Gubbio.
By plane
- Regional airport of St. Egidio,
Perugia (45 km from Gubbio)
- Raffaello Sanzio Airport,
Falconara (90 km from Gubbio)
- Miramare Airport, Rimini
(130 km from Gubbio)
Firenze
Fano
Arezzo
Città di
Castello
A14
Ancona
Fabriano
Valdichiana
Gubbio
A1
Perugia
Terni
Roma
Spoleto
PROVINCIA DI PERUGIA
Fo r in fo rm a t io n
I.A.T. Se rvizio Tu rist ico Asso cia t o
06024 Gu b b io Via d e lla Re p u b b lica , 15
Te l. d t s +39 (0)75 9220693
Te l. +39 (0)75 9220790 Fa x +39 (0)75 9273409
ww w.u m b ria 2000.it
in fo @ia t .g u b b io .p g .it