ART AND CULTURE AND ART Ponte delle Torri (230 m long and 76 m Art and Culture. high) is breathtaking. Todi emerges on a hilltop right out of A journey amongst architectural splendours, the 13th century; it is the birthplace of Jacopone, the mystic poet of the masterpieces of art, and cultural events Laudi. Piazza del Popolo is one of the most unique squares in all of Umbria. The beauty of Umbria is seductive Città di Castello features the majestic and at times seems quite perfect. The Palazzo Vitelli; the pride of Foligno secret lies in the splendid balance is Palazzo Trinci, with frescoes by between man and nature, in the bond Gentile da Fabriano. Spello, wedged that Umbrians have always had with onto a spur of Monte Subasio, is full their land and their rich past. In the of Roman vestiges; the Cappella dei Middle Ages and in the Renaissance, Baglioni in the Church of Santa Maria it was a pulsating region at the Maggiore has frescoes by Pinturicchio. heart of Italian historical, cultural, Then there is Narni, with its Duomo and religious events, and its cities and Palazzo del Podestà; ancient Trevi fl ourished in an extraordinary manner, perched on a hilltop; Montefalco with accumulating an enormous wealth of artistic jewels. So it is entirely natural that the cities of Umbria attract tourists and travellers who are thirsty for beauty. Perugia, sitting atop an irregular hillside, is the region’s largest city of art. Most of its treasures are enclosed in the historical nucleus, delineated 4 by the Etruscan walls. Piazza IV is the Pozzo di San Patrizio. 5 Novembre is the fulcrum: in its centre Held tightly between its walls, Assisi lies the beautiful Fontana Maggiore, is a magical place, and the fact that symbol of Perugia, and around it practically nothing has changed stand the Gothic cathedral and the since the Middle Ages has kept its magnifi cent Palazzo dei Priori, which enchantment intact. One cannot houses the Collegio del Cambio, help but admire the Basilica of San with frescoes by Perugino, and the Francesco, one of the most famous National Gallery of Umbria, chock full sites of Christianity. It is composed of of masterpieces (sculptures by Arnolfo two churches one above the other: the di Cambio and paintings by Piero della lower church, which holds the tomb of crossed by stairways and marvellous the Museo Civico di San Francesco and Francesca, Duccio di Buonisegna, Fra the saint, is decorated with frescoes medieval streets. Palazzo Pretorio frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli; Bevagna Angelico, Pinturicchio, and more). by Simone Martini, Cimabue, and and the lovely Palazzo dei Consoli face with Piazza Silvestri, a wonderful slice Isolated at the top of a tufa cliff, Lorenzetti; the upper church features onto Piazza Grande; climbing to the of the Middle Ages. Orvieto emanates a unique fascination frescoes by Cimabue and in particular highest part of the city, you reach the But apart from the most well and captivating beauty for the millions a cycle on the life of St. Francis, Gothic Duomo and Palazzo Ducale, a known cities, every town in Umbria of tourists who visit the city each year. comprising twenty-eight paintings by fi ne example of Renaissance elegance. holds wonderful surprises in store. Its fame is mainly tied to the Duomo, Giotto or artists supervised by him. Spoleto is a dense agglomerate Churches, palaces, museums, one of the absolute masterpieces of From the Basilica, Via al Santo leads of grey stone set into the green sculptures, bas-reliefs, frescoes, and Italian Gothic architecture. The façade to Piazza del Comune, which holds surroundings. Its austere mass paintings are all part of the history with rose window and relief sculptures Palazzo dei Priori and the Temple conceals charming views and of Umbria. Another itinerary full of by Lorenzo Maitani is magnifi cent, of Minerva. Other important sites numerous architectural treasures. surprises and legends is to visit the and Luca Signorelli’s fresco cycle The include the Basilica of Santa Chiara, In addition to the zone of the Roman many castles and fortresses. Arising Last Judgement in the Cappella di the Cathedral of San Rufi no, and the Forum and certain notable churches, from practical needs for defence, San Brizio is unforgettable. The most Rocca Maggiore. one of the most important sites is the given the constant coming and going important public buildings include Visiting Gubbio is like stepping back Romanesque Duomo (13th c.), which of armies through Umbria, these Palazzo del Popolo, returned to its in time. Noble and imposing, the city sets off a lovely piazza. Its façade is strongholds integrated perfectly with original splendour by a painstaking is situated at various heights on the truly a masterpiece. Outside the town the landscape of cities and countryside restoration. Also of particular interest slope of Monte Ingino, and is criss- centre, the colossal 14th-century alike, leaving an extraordinary ART AND CULTURE AND ART heritage. One of the most beautiful at Pietralunga... in the days leading up to the New is the Castle of Alviano, guardian of Making a leap forward Year, fi lls the streets of Orvieto and the Tiber valley. Built in the late 15th in time, we reach enters the Duomo, Teatro Mancinelli, century by the condottiere Bartolomeo the art of the 20th and other historical buildings, d’Alviano, it has maintained its majesty century, by which time transforming the city into a one- over the centuries. The Rocca di Assisi the once cohesive of-a-kind stage. Todiarte Festival, was destroyed in 1198, rebuilt in the local artistic tradition showcasing music, poetry, and theatre 14th century, and then underwent had crumbled but in with foreign guests, enlivens the further modifi cations, without losing which art continued to historic district of Todi. Summertime its austere appearance. Thanks to express an individuality in Gubbio brings a festival of classical the latest restoration works, it has worthy of respect. music and a theatre series that take been opened to visitors and hosts Between museums and multipurpose advantage of the atmosphere of cultural and artistic events. The huge venues, a journey to Umbria can the Roman theatre. The Festival of complex of the Rocca Albornoziana also satisfy connoisseurs of modern Nations at Città di Castello has been characterises the city of Spoleto; the and contemporary art. Perugia was held since 1968, each year hosting Parco della Rocca extends around home to a well-known Futurist group a foreign country, which presents it. Lake Trasimeno features the led by Gerardo Dottori, the major its own musical production to the monumental Rocca del Leone that exponent of “aeropainting”, who public. Lake Trasimeno, in turn, is the dominates Castiglione del Lago, the was constantly inspired by his native backdrop for the notes of Trasimeno Rocca on Isola Polvese, and the Castle land. Palazzo della Penna houses a Blues. of the Knights of Malta at Magione: number of his famous works, such For those who prefer something more rebuilt in the 15th century, it traditional, there are food and wine is a delightful agglomerate festivals and historical re-enactments of walls and towers, with throughout the region that combine a number of 16th-century the delights of the palate with the frescoes inside. Città di Castello memory of old customs and local is protected by Castello folklore. Worthy of mention are the 6 Bufalini, transformed in the Palio dei Terzieri held in Città della 7 16th century into a refi ned been converted into a fi lm studio). Pieve, with its procession in period noble residence decorated Città di Castello celebrates its most costume and various events; the with paintings (including a illustrious artist, Alberto Burri, with Infi orata at Spello, which on the Madonna by Pinturicchio) and the extensive exhibits of the Burri day of Corpus Domini, following fi ne furnishings. At Umbertide Collection, divided between the 15th- a night of feverish preparations, rises the magnifi cent Rocca, century Palazzo Albizzini and the decorates the streets of the city with the emblem of the city and spaces of the Ex Seccatoi del Tabacco multicoloured fl oral compositions; now a lively cultural centre; in Tropicale. The Galleria di Arte the Corsa all’Anello at Narni, heir of the environs, the spectacular fortress as the Trittico della Velocità, as well Civica Moderna e Contemporanea of the tradition of an ancient equestrian of Civitella Ranieri is immersed as a permanent exhibition of works Spoleto, housed in Palazzo Collicola, contest. A spectacular and much- in an ancient forest. The Castle of by Joseph Beuys; the rest of the exhibits works by the sculptor loved event is the Corsa dei Ceri at Petroia (9th-10th c.), in the vicinity museum is dedicated to temporary Leoncillo, and by Mario Ceroli, Pino Gubbio, where thousands of onlookers of Gubbio, is an enchanting medieval shows. Trevi’s Flash Art Museum, Pascali, and Sol Le Witt. crowd the streets to witness the race borgo enclosed by walls. Set in the established in 1992 in the prestigious Umbrian artistic and cultural life is between the three enormous “ceri” landscape of the Valnerina, the mighty Palazzo Lucarini, proposes temporary also enlivened each year by wide- (“candles” weighing 400 kg each) Rocca di Narni (14th c.) survived shows often on an international scale. reaching events. Above all, the carried by groups of contestants up many a siege and has recently Terni has two venues of interest: Festival of Two Worlds held in to the Basilica of Sant’Ubaldo. Assisi been completely restored. Another the contemporary art section of the Spoleto. Inaugurated in 1958, it has celebrates the Festa di San Francesco lovely site is the Pieve del Vescovo Pinacoteca Comunale ‘Orneore grown through the years to become an in commemoration of the death of the in Corciano, a solid fortifi cation Metelli’ in Palazzo Gazzoli, with works event not to be missed, hosting world saint, and the Festa di Calendimaggio, later adapted to become an elegant by naïf artist Metelli and other local class artists and performers.