City Art

Città della Pieve is a delightful Umbrian town, not far from Ficulle and the border with nearby Tuscany.

Birthplace of the famous Renaissance painter Piero di Cristoforo Vannucci, known as il Perugino , impresses with the harmony of the urban layout and the architecture of the historic buildings, rigorously made of exposed red bricks , and for the elegance of the whole. The city preserves some of the most important works of Raphael's master, such as the Adoration of the Magi at the Oratory of Santa Maria dei Bianchi, the Baptism of Christ and < strong> the Madonna in Glory between Saints Gervasio and Protasio in the Cathedral and the Deposition from the Cross of the Diocesan Civic Museum of Santa Maria dei Servi. The attentive observer will not miss the surprising similarity between the landscapes represented in these works and those that we can still observe in this territory today.

The historic center is all a succession and intertwining of streets and alleys, recalling in this for some aspects, albeit larger, the historic center of Ficulle. Among these alleys there is the narrowest and most famous in Italy, the Vicolo Baciadonne , so narrow that it does not allow the passage of two people at the same time. It is said that in ancient times it was a place of refuge for lovers, and still today many couples visiting Città della Pieve do not disdain a kiss in the famous alley.

Orvieto is a masterpiece city, one of the most beautiful in Italy. Mainly known as the city of the Eucharistic miracle , it jealously and proudly preserves the traces of the miraculous event of Corpus Domini which took place in nearby Bolsena in 1263, both in the re-enactment historical event held on the occasion of the solemn feast of Corpus Domini, which especially in the splendid Gothic cathedral, whose construction was started in 1290 by the will of Pope Nicholas IV, precisely in order to give a worthy location to the Corporal of the miracle of Bolsena. Undisputed masterpiece of Italian architecture, the cathedral of Orvieto leaves the visitor delighted by the beauty and sumptuous elegance of the facade, completed by the famous architect Ippolito Scalza in the second half of the 1500s, and by the majesty of the interiors. Inside, in addition to the Corporal Chapel, it presents one of the cornerstones of Italian Renaissance painting, the Chapel of San Brizio, whose pictorial decoration was started in 1447 by Beato Angelico and then completed by Luca Signorelli.

Evident and extremely fascinating are the Etruscan origins of the city, absolutely to be explored through a visit to the Necropolis of Tufo located at the entrance of the city and the rich National Archaeological Museum located in Piazza Duomo, while the general layout of the city is genuinely and exclusively medieval, a period which also dates back to the iconic and very famous Well of San Patrizio and the underground part of the city, recently rediscovered and open to the public under the name of Orvieto Underground . Intriguing and poetic is the description given by Guido Piovene in the famous "Journey to Italy", when he writes:

For its churches and streets, which still retain their medieval imprint, Orvieto makes the romantic traveler happy

Known to the world as "the dying city" and made unforgettable by the long and narrow pedestrian bridge that connects it to the main road, Civita di Bagnoregio is a unique reality of its kind, visited every year of numerous tourists from all over the world.

Of Etruscan origin, like most of the towns in the area, it owes its name and also its charm to the continuous and inexorable crumbling of the small tuff cliff on which it stands. The resulting effect is that of a village suspended in space , overlooking a panorama full of gullies among the most beautiful in Lazio, among whose streets it is nice to walk calmly, paying attention to the little ones details. Defined by some as a magical place by others a surreal place, where time seems to have stopped or flow at another speed , over the years it has become an exceptional theater for cultural and cinematographic events and definitely deserves a visit. In addition to a camera, however, it is also good to have comfortable shoes!

Don't miss a stop at the Bagnoregio viewpoint from which you can enjoy an excellent view of Civita.

  * Photo by: //civitavecchia.portmobility.it/it/civita-di-bagnoregio  

Todi is a splendid city of art and literature, one of the most renowned in Umbria, famous for being the birthplace in the 13th century of the Franciscan monk Jacopone dei Benedetti, known as Jacopo da Todi , famous exponent of the laudatory poetry of the thirteenth century and author, among other things, of the poem Stabat Mater, then revived and set to music by composers of the caliber of Vivaldi, Pergolesi, Haydn and Rossini.

Located on a high hill along the banks of the Tiber River, it has very ancient origins dating back to between the 8th and 7th centuries BC Historical sources reveal that at the time the two banks of the river were inhabited by two different peoples, the Umbrians on one side and the Etruscans on the other, and this is precisely why the name of the city from the Etruscan " Tular" or "tulere" which meant precisely " border “. Contrary to what often happened to other border towns, which over the years have been the scene of disputes and consequent destruction, a lucky story has allowed Todi to have a different fate and to arrive in an incredibly intact way to the present day. Precisely this is one of the most fascinating features of the city, whose historic center, of extraordinary beauty, harmoniously presents evident traces of all the historical periods crossed by the city. A curious detail is the presence of 3 concentric wall circles, dating back to different eras and witnesses of the expansion of the city over time . The first circle of walls is due to the Etruscans and can be dated to the V-IV century BC, the second is from the Roman period and dates back to the first century BC, while the third circle of walls, about 4 km long, is medieval as it is built in 1244. The majority of the gates and the relative bastions that have survived to this day belong to this circle of walls.

The city has a very rich historical and artistic heritage, in which the Romanesque Cathedral in Piazza del Popolo with its Public Palaces and the Church of the Consolation at the Temple of San Fortunato stand out from the Renaissance period; it is also often the site of important installations and exhibitions of contemporary art.

The term Valdichiana Senese identifies a territory located in lower Tuscany, on the border with Umbria, particularly rich in villages and small towns which from a tourist point of view constitute a decidedly interesting unicum.

The flag bearer of the territory is the medieval town of Montepulciano, appreciated every year by visitors from all over the world for its elegant Renaissance palaces, ancient churches, splendid squares and small hidden corners, as well as for its renowned products. food and wine including the famous Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. The town, located on a hill, is also famous for its splendid views over the rolling hills of the Val d'Orcia and Valdichiana. Piazza Grande is the heart of Montepulciano and home to the main events of the city, including Il Bravio delle Botti , which is held every year in August.

From Montepulciano it is then easy to move to other equally interesting destinations such as Montalcino , famous for the prestigious Brunello, Pienza , the ideal city rebuilt by Pope Pius II who was born here at the beginning of 1200 with the name of Enea Silvio Piccolomini and universal heritage of humanity protected by UNESCO, Chiusi, renowned for its Etruscan tombs, and Cetona , Chianciano and Bagno Vignoni, where there are splendid terme .

The neighboring Val d'Orcia, including the municipalities of Castiglione d’Orcia, Montalcino, Pienza, Radicofani, San Quirico d’Orcia is a universal heritage of humanity protected by UNESCO since 2004.

Arezzo is located on a hill in eastern Tuscany close to the Tuscan-Romagnolo Apennines. As evidenced by the architecture of the city, it boasts an ancient origin that has seen it be one of the major Etruscan cities and subsequently a strategic Roman city. The highest part of the city retains a marked medieval aspect, dominated by the Cathedral and the Medici Fortress . The Cathedral, which has Gothic features in its aspect, houses valuable works of art including La Maddalena by Piero della Francesca and the stained glass windows by Guillaume de Marcillat. In the center of the city Piazza Grande , the main attraction of the city, unfolds a true anthology of architectural styles. Next to the medieval towers, the imposing Loggiato Vasariano rises, one of the most interesting Renaissance architectural works; the Palazzo della Fraternita dei Laici, a fine example of a synthesis of Gothic and Renaissance architecture and the apse of the Pieve di Santa Maria. Piazza Grande, the penultimate Saturday in June and the first Sunday in September, becomes the setting for the Giostra del Saracino , a knightly tournament of medieval origins. The same square and a large part of the historic center host, every first Sunday of the month and the preceding Saturday, the Antiques Fair .

Thanks to the Arezzo motorway it is less than an hour by car from Ficulle.