Diapositiva 1

umbria
THE GREEN HEART OF ITALY
THE NAME’S ORIGIN AND THE
COAT OF ARMS
• The region gets its name from the ancient
Umbri, a population established in the area
around 1000 a.c and defeated by the romans.
We have little news about them.
. The region’s coat of arms represent the three
candles (ceri) of Gubbio. The candles are
wooden structures 5 metres hight with on the top
the statues of St. Ubaldo, St. George and St.
Anthony that partecipate to the “Corsa dei Ceri”.
THE POSITION AND THE BOUNDARIES
Umbria known as the “Green Heart of Italy” is
placed
in the center of Italy.
It is the only central Region
that is not bathed from
the sea and borders to north
and to east with Marche, to
the south with Lazio and to the east with Lazio
and Tuscany.
THE TERRITORY
The Mountains belong to the Appennino Umbro-Marchigiano and are not very
high. The Monte Sibillini chain, part in the Marche territory is the highest peak
in Umbria with peaks more than 2000 metres high. On the north-east the SerraMaggio borders with the Marche.
The Monti Reatini with peaks higher than 1500 metres divide Umbria from
Lazio. The Monte Martani divide instead the Umbrian Valley from the Tevere
one.
Over 70% of the territory is formed by hills covered by woods, cultivations and
water sources and rivers.
Between the hills there are many Valleys and Hollows. The most important are
the Valle del Tevere that runs the region from the north to the south, the Valle
Umbra bathed by the Topino and Clitunno rivers and the Valnerina formed by
The Nera river, and the Lake Trasimeno hollow. Other hollows are the Gubbio
and Terni ones.
The main river is the Tevere (Tiber), that notwithstanding it births from the
The Appennino Tosco-Emiliano, for at least 210 kms baths the umbrian territory.
The main tributary of the Tiber is the Nera, the second umbrian river with 116
Kms. Other rivers are the Chiascio and the Nestore. The river Velino with the
River Nera form the Cascate delle Marmore (Marmore Waterfalls)
In Umbria we find the Lake Trasimeno, little depth and its surface goes
slowly decreasing. This lake for extension is the fourth of Italy. There are
other more small lakes; the most meaningful is Lake of Corbara and Lake
of Chiusi situated to the border with Tuscany.
THE LAKES
THE UMBRIAN NATURAL PARKS
THE PARK OF MONTE CUCCO was formed in 1995, occupies a surface of
10000 ettari, in province of Perugia, on the borders between Umbria and
Marche.
THE PARCO FLUVIALE DEL TEVERE was formed in 1995 and has an
extension of 8000 ettari between the provinces of Perugia and Terni and is
characterized by the flowing for 50 kms of the Tevere river, the gola del
Forello, the Lake of Corbara alle, of the Sermolland the basin of Alviano.
THE PARK OF MONTE SUBASIO is characterized by the territory of the mount
Subasio, the peaks of the Civitelle, of the Sermolla, of the Colle del San Rufino,
of the Pietralunga for a total surface of 7400 ettari.
PERUGIA
•
•
Perugia, the great "Guelf strong-hold" rises
up in the region's heart, with its 5 storical
quarters closed-in by its Etruscan town
walls. These enormous bastions formed by
cyclopic square masses, were constructed
22 centuries ago and are still visible for long
stretches.
Entering the city via Porta San Pietro, whose
exterior was remodelled by Agostino di
Duccio in 1475, you'll arrive at the basilica of
St. Dominic on the right-hand side; the very
important National Archeological Museum of
Umbria is to be found in the adjacent
cloisters and convent.
Continuing along, you'll reach the Piazza del
Sopramuro, where the 15th century Palace
of the Old University and the adjacent
Palace of the People's Captain look down
on the square. Further on, after a short
climb, you'll find yourself in one of Italy's
most important squares, where you'll see the
Priors'Palace, the Cathedral and the 13th
century fountain Major Fountain at the
center. At the extreme end of Corso
Vannucci you'll find famous panoramic
gardens built on the foundations of the
Rocca Paolina, a strong-hold built by Pope
Paul III in 1540. Among the most important
manifestations taking place in the city we
should absolutely mention the musical
festival Umbria Jazz and the gastronomic
festival Eurochocolate.
A VIEW
PALAZZO DEI PRIORI
FONTANA MAGGIORE
ROCCA PAOLINA
DERUTA
•
•
The origins of Deruta remain for the most
part obscure. Of certainty are its links to
Perugia, which has always been a valid
bastion to the south, toward Todi, whose role
is to this day witness of its fortified castle
appearance.
During the 13th Century Deruta had its own
statute, followed by, in 1465, a new
document in vernacular which foresaw the
presence in the castle, in addition to a
podestà envoy from Perugia, of four "boni
omini", elected from amongsts the residents.
In the second half of 1400, the residents of
this small town, were exterminated from
pests, so that the city walls came down. In
addition, during the Guerra del Sale" (1540),
Deruta, which had aligned itself against the
Pope, experienced ambushes and
devastation. The submission of Perugia to
the Church brought also to the small town a
long period of peace, during which time the
maximum development of works of art of the
artistic majolica, activity which, throughout
the Centuries, allowed Deruta to become
known all over the world.
MAIOLICA
VIEW
MAIOLICA
MAIOLICA
ORVIETO
•
It’s origins go back to the Etruscan
civilization: the first Etruscan
settlements, going back to the 9th
Century B.C., Annexed in the 3rd
Century B.C. to the territories of
Rome, it remained under the Roman
domination until the decline of the
Western Roman Empire. Afterwhich it
became a free municipality, and during
the struggles between Guelphs and
Ghibellines, was a valiant opponent of
Barbarossa, remaining faithful to the
Pope. Riding on the support of the
Papal State, it was allowed to prosper
through the entire Medieval Period,
reaching the top of its development in
the 13th Century with the constitution
of the General Council of the 400 and
the election of the Captain of the
People.
It was during this period that one saw
the fervent work of erecting palaces
and holy buildings among which the
very famous Cathedral stands out,
dating back to 1263, undoubtedly the
most important architectural landmark
of the city and St.Patrizio well, built in
1527
VIEW
CATHEDRAL
INTERNAL CATHEDRAL
CORSA DELLA PALOMBELLA
ASSISI
•
Assisi's oldest nucleus, which is protected
by a defensive apparatus made up of eight
fortified entrance portals and a long belt of
town walls, which are still perfectly
preserved, is topped by two castles on
peak of the mountain: the Major Castle,
reconstructed by the Cardinal Albornoz in
1367 and the Minor Castle. Apart from
religious buildings too important to not be
considered solely the heritage of Assisi
such as the basilica of St. Francis, the
tourist can also visit the churches of St.
Clare and St.Peter.
The first was constructed in the Gothic
style between 1257 and 1265, the second
is a little older and decorated with an
elegant middle portal with three rosewindows. The Cathedral, dedicated to the
Patron Saint St. Rufino, vaunts a splendid
and unaltered facade with sculptures and
reliefs; the interior, however, has
undergone much reconstruction during the
centuries which have distorted the original
project dating back to the 13th century.,
columms and corinthian capitals which are
still intact.
Nearby, places which are connected with
the life of St. Francis can be visited, such
as the impressive basilica of Saint Mary
of the Angels was built between 1569 and
1679 to protect the Porziuncola Chapel,
which was the first simple meeting-place of
the Francescan brotherhood.
A VIEW
LOWER BASILICA OF ST.FRANCIS
BASILICA OF ST.FRANCIS
UPPER BASILICA OF ST. FRANCIS
THE PORZIUNCOLA
ST. CLARA
GIOTTO’S PAINTING
ST FRANCIS TOMB
SPOLETO
•
The Arch of Drusus (23 A.C.) to be
found near the Romanic church of St.
Ansano , the Roman theater, whose
construction goes back to the first years
of the Empire, and the paleocristian
basilica St. Salvatore of the 4th century
(at about 1.2 km's distance to the
north), are testimonials of Spoleto's
earliest origins. Close by, the church
St.Gregorio Maggiore,(12th century),
characterized by its evocative apsis
zone and by the elevated presbitery, a
Roman bridge (also called "the Bloody")
consisting of three arches in travertine
stone blocks and the amphitheater of
the 2nd century A.C. can be found.
More modern monuments which are as
fascinating are the churches of St.
Dominic and St. Ponziano, both of
which were built during the 12th
century. The church of St. Peter is
surely of great interest because of its
extraordinary bas-reliefs which decorate
the facade which dates back to the 12th
century.
Among the most important
manifestations taking place in the city
we should absolutely mention the
festival “dei due mondi”.
A VIEW
LA ROCCA
THE CATHEDRAL
THE FESTIVAL
GUBBIO
•
•
Laying on the slopes of Monte
Ingino, Gubbio is one of the most
ancient towns of Umbria, extremely
well preserved during centuries and
rich of monuments testifying its
glorious past.
Two important witnesses of the past
are the Tavole Eugubine, one of
most important documents referring
to the ancient people called Italici
and the Roman Theatre just outside
the walls of the town. Dominated
from the top by the Basilica on
which the rests of St. Ubaldo are
buried, Gubbio keeps architectonic
masterpieces testifying the beauty
and the imprtance of what used to
be during the Middle ages, a real
town-state.
At the beginning of the XIV century
the Consuls Palace, today symbol
of the town, was constructed
together with the square Piazza
Pensile and Pretorio Palace. Among
the most important manifestations
taking place in the city we should
absolutely mention the Racing silk
of the Crossbow and the Ceri
Race.
PALAZZO DEI CONSOLI
THE HIGHEST CHRISTMAS TREE
IN THE WORLD
CHURCH OF S.SECONDO
THE CERI RACE
FOLIGNO
•
Foligno's history dates back to 295
BC The old village, after the battle of
Sentino, was conquered by the
Romans who gave it the name of
forum Flaminio (now St. John
Profiamma).
Destroyed by the Saracens and
Hungarians, the residents moved
near the tomb of San Feliciano, giving
the city a new name for ever:
Castellum San Felicianum, Civitas
Nova Fulginia, and finally Fulginia
Foligno. At beginning of the thirteenth
century it was annexed to the Papal
State.
From 1305 to 1439 the Trinci
establish power in the city as papal
vicars. Under the rule of the Trinci,
Foligno had a large development
extendeding their rule over major
towns such as Spello, Bevagna,
Assisi and Nocera. In 1470 was
introduced the art of printing and 11
April 1472 the first printed copy of the
Divine Comedy was made. On 14
September 1860 with the occupation
troops from General Fanti ended the
papal government and Foligno was
annexed to the Kingdom of Italy.
THE PIAZZA
LA QUINTANA
ABBAZIA DI SASSOVIVO
LA QUINTANA