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Perugia Palazzo dei Priori - Photo (c)
frabuleuse
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Perugia
Perugia is the capital city in the region
of Umbria in central Italy, near the Tiber river, and the capital of
the province of Perugia.
Perugia is an important artistic center of Italy.
The town gave his nickname to the famous painter Pietro Vannucci,
called Perugino, who worked in Perugia, Rome and Florence. Perugino
is said to be the Maestro of Raffaello, who left in Perugia
five paintings (today no longer in the city) and one fresco. Another
famous painter, Pinturicchio, lived in Perugia. In Galeazzo Alessi
Perugia found its most famous architect.
Visiting Perugia in one day
PERUGIA, This important Etruscan city, built on a hill
overlooking the Tiber valley, became a Roman municipality; and the Middle
Ages and the Renaissance have given it the severe and noble aspect it bears
today. The artistic center of the city is the Piazza IV Novembre, in the
middle of which stands the Fontana Maggiore (1275), decorated by Nicolo and
Giovanni Pisano.
On one side of the square stretches the massive wall of the
Gothic Cathedral (inside, sculptures and paintings and a Madonna by Luca
Signorelli in the Museum), and on the opposite side, the bold Palazzo dei
Priori (built in the 13° century, but enlarged over the next two centuries)
from whose severe facade jut the bronze statues of the Griffon and the Lion,
emblems of the city.
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The exquisite main Door of the Palace opens on to the
nearby Corso Vannueci; on the second floor is the National Gallery of
Umbria, a magnificent collection of paintings in 25 rooms, with Umbrian
primitives works by Duccio di Buoninsegna, Gentile da Fabriano, Begin
Angelica, Piero della Francesca, Benozzo Gozzoli, Pinturicchio, and
Perugino, as well as outstanding medieval and Renaissance sculptures.
Next door, in the same street, is Collegio del Cambia, seat of the
money-changers of old, whose avish Audience Chamber contains excellent
frescoes by Perugino, set in precious carved wooden frames. Leaving the
building, we take Via dei Priori, in a rough medieval setting and passing
the church of S, Filippo Neri, with its Baroque facade, we descend through a
network of narrow old streets, to an extremely picturesque spot, where the
tall Tower of the Sciri (12° century), the Mardorla Gate, dating from
Etruscan times, and the exquisitely pure Renaissance facade of the Madonna
della Luce (1518) are grouped together.
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From here, we come to the spacious
piazza San Francesco where, standing side by side we see the gentle facade
of the Oratorio di San Bernardino, with delicate hasrelief by Agostino di
Duccio (1461), and the Gothic church of S. Francesco (1230).
We suggest
returning to Via dei Priori, and them taking, still behind the Palace, the
extremely ancient Via della Gabbia, so as to get to the impressive bend in
the street, called Maesta delle Volte, one of the most awesome medieval
spots in Italy.
We walk down to Piazza Morlacchi and, by way of Via Cesare
Battisti, come to the so-called Arch of Augustus, a superb Etruscan gate,
with a 16° century loggin at the top of the left-hand bastion. In Piazza
Fortebraccio stands Palazzo Gallenga (18° century), which today accommodates
the University for Foreigners.
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Fontana Maggiore - Photo (c)
f-remolo
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Taking Corso Garibaldi, we reach the Church
of S. Angelo (5°-6° century), the oldest in Perugia (but elegant in its
unassuming simplicity. Returning along Corso Garibaldi, we reach the
beautiful Gothic church of S. Agostino (inside, magnificent wooden
Choir-stalls by B. D'Agnolo, 1502, and an excellent painting by Guercino).
Returning to Piazza Fortebraccio, we go up Via Pinturicchio to the extremely
ancient chapel of S. Severo with a fresco by Raphael, the only work by him
in Perugia. Nearby is the so-called Sun Gate (Porta del Sole - perhaps from
the name of an ancient temple, dedicated to the Sun), from which we head
towards the solitary Piazza Michelotti, the highest point in the city, with
a magnificent view of the surrounding plain and the mountains and Assisi.
Taking Via della Viola and Via Alessi, we come to Piazza Matteotti where,
beyond the Church of the Gesu (1572), we see the Lombard Palazzo del
Capitano del Popolo (1481), and the long Palazzo della Vecchia Universita
1483). Passing by the facade of S. Maria del Popolo and turning up towards
the busy Corso Vannucci, we finish off our morning tour in one of the
restaurants in the center of town.
From Corso Vannucci we will return to Piazza Matteotti and take Via Oberdan
where, making our way down among interesting buildings, we come to the
towering octagonal Gothich church of S. Ercolano, fromwhich we reach the
Etruscan Marcia Gate. Taking Via Marzia, we enter the subterranean Via
Bagliona, where once stood the old houses of the Baglioni family, the lords
of Perugia; in 1540, commissioned by Paul III, Antonio da Sangallo used them
as the foundation for his Rocca Paolina, which was unfortunately destroyed
in the uprisings of 1848.
We now enter Corso Cavour which takes us to San Domenico, a Gothic church
with a handsome interior illuminated by a magnificent Stained-glass Window
(the striking Gothic tomb of Pope Benedict XI, wooden Chairstalls,
sculptures, by Agostino di Duccio). Next to the church, m a former convent,
is the Archaeological and Prehistoric Museum, richly endowed with Etruscan
and Roman bronzes and sculptures. Continuing down Corso Cavour, we pass by
the stupendous Porm San Pietro (1475) by A. di Duccio and come to the Church
of San Pietro (originally 10° century, but transformed) with a 15° century
bell-tower and an outstanding, extremely rich interior, decorated with
extraordinary works of art, including a Piela by Perugino and what are
perhaps the most beautiful wooden Choir-stalls (1526) in Italy. Retracing
our steps to Viale Roma, we can climb up to S.Giuliana, a Romanesque church
with a most beautiful 14° century Gothic cloister. We then return into the
city, our visit of what at least are its essential aspects having come to an
end.
Main sights
Main attractions
- The Cathedral of S. Lorenzo.
- Palazzo dei Priori (Town Hall, encompassing the
Collegio del Cambio, Collegio della Mercanzia, and Galleria
Nazionale). The Collegio del Cambio has frescoes by
Pietro Perugino, while the Collegio della Mercanzia has a
fine later 14th century wooden interior.
- Church and abbey of San Pietro (late 16th century).
- Basilica of San Domenico (begun in 1394 and finished
in 1458). It is located in the place where, in Middle Ages times, the
market and the horse fair were held, and where the Dominicans
settled in 1234. According to Vasari, the church was designed by
Giovanni Pisano. The interior decorations were redesigned by
Carlo Maderno, while the massive belfry was partially cut
around mid-16th century. It houses examples of Umbrian art,
including the precious tomb of
Pope Benedict XI and a Renaissance wooden choir.
- Church of Sant'Angelo (6th century).
- Church of San Bernardino (with façade by
Agostino di Duccio).
- Fontana Maggiore, a medieval fountain designed by Fra
Bevignate and sculpted by Nicolò and Giovanni Pisano.
- Church of San Severo, here's retained a fresco
painted by Raffaello and Perugino.
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Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria, the National Gallery of
Umbrian art in Middle Ages and Renaissance (it includes works by
Duccio, Piero della Francesca, Beato Angelico, Perugino)
- Ipogeo dei Volumni (Hypogeum of the Volumnus family),
an Etruscan chamber tomb.
- National Museum of Umbrian Archaeology.
- Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo.
- Porta Augusta, a Roman gate with Etruscan elements.
- the Rocca Paolina, a Renaissance fortress (1540-1543)
of which only a bastion today is remaining. The original design was by
Antonio and Aristotile da Sangallo, and included the
Porta Marzia (3rd century BC), the tower of
Gentile Baglioni's house and a mediaeval pit.
- The Etruscan arch.
- The directional center,Piazza del Bacio by
Aldo Rossi the famous architect
To do
- It could be a good idea to see the Umbria
Jazz Festival. During this period Perugia has a really beautiful
atmosphere, with jazz concerts in the center of the city. for more info:
http://www.umbriajazz.com/
Get in
Perugia is accessible by long-distance trains and
buses. The train station is in the valley, a few kilometers from the
centro storico (historic center) of the city. You can take a local
bus or a taxi from the station.
Perugia is also accessible from other parts of Italy
by car via the Autostrada.
Get around
It is very hard to drive in the Centro Storico. You
will drive very slowly over the many cobblestoned one-way streets and
may very well end up driving around in circles several times. You are
best advised to do as little driving as possible, and get around on
foot. As usual in Italian cities, taxis can be called if you need them.
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Arco Etrusco - Photo (c)
Wikipedia
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Other attractions
- The Etruscan Well (Pozzo Etrusco).
- Medieval aqueduct.
- The Tribunali.
- Piazza Matteotti.
- Teatro Comunale Morlacchi.
- Church of Sant' Agata.
- Church of Sant' Ercolano (early 14th century).
Currently resempling a polygonal tower, it had once two floors.
The upper one was demolished when the Rocca Paolina was built.
It includes Baroque decorations commissioned from 1607.
The main altar is made by a 4th sarcophagus found in 1609.
- Church of Sant'Antonio da Padova.
- Church of San Francesco al Prato.
- Church of Santa Giuliana, heir of a female monastery
founded in 1253, which in its later years gained a fame of dissoluteness, until
the French turned it into a granary. It is now a military
hospital. The church, with a single nave, has traces of the
ancient frescoes, which probably covered all the walls (13th
century). The cloister is a noteworthy example of Cistercense
architecture of the mid-14th century, attributed to
Matteo Gattapone. This is contemporary to the upper part of
the belfry, whose base is from the 13th century.
- Church of San Michele Arcangelo (5th-6th centuries).
It is an example of Palaeo-Christian art with central plant
recalling that of Santo Stefano Rotondo in Rome. It has 16 antique columns.
- Church of San Matteo in Campo Orto.
- Church of Santi Stefano e Valentino
- Templar church of San Bevignate.
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(c) 1997-2008 E. Massetti
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