The museum of the Opera of the Cathedral is situated near the Cathedral and it was built at the second half of the 13th century. At the beginning it was constructed as pontifical see and it was called Pope’s Palace and then when the pontifical see was moved in Avignone, in Francia, because of the insurgent climate and the interior wars, received the name of Soliano Palace, from the name of the small village in which was situated. It was built in gothic shapes in 1297, under the order of Pope Bonifacio the 8th and then transformed with the addition of the elevated floor decorated with particular battlements. The palace, processed to recent restorations, lodges the Museum of the Opera of the Cathedral in which there is the exhibition of frescoes, sculptures and works of different ages, from the 3rd century and forward, among them some terracottas of Della Robbia, the reliquary of the skull of Saint Savino, the draft on papyrus of the projects of the front of the Cathedral, the tile with the self-portrait of Luca Signorelli (the author of the frescoes of the homonymous chapel of the Cathedral), the politico of Simone Martini (representing the Madonna with a Child, the saints Peter and Paul, Saint Magdalene and Saint Domenico) with several objects of goldsmith’s art and several other masterpieces.
Orvieto Underground (Orvieto)
Orvieto, millenary city suspended between the sky and the earth as for spell, disclosed one of the aspects that make it unique and wonderful: a twine of caves is hided in the silent darkness of the drop. The particular geological nature of the rock on which it rises, permits to the inhabitants to dig, during more than 2500 years, an incredible number of pits that lay down and cross under the modern urban structure. Where the underground winding way runs parallel to the drop, with panoramic holes the day flights with the darkness for a endless sequence of tunnels, stairs, surprising passages, superposed rooms on which walls we can read the centenary adventure of the birth of this underground town on small squared niches.
Carsulae's ruins (San Gemini)
The ruins of this ancient town were described and increased since the 17th century: however only the excavations campaign from the 1951 to the 1972 allowed to discover the most part of the forum, the theatre and the amphitheatre, a long stretch of the Flaminia road and some monumental tombs. Carsulae connects its destiny to these of the Flaminia Road, the main street of the urban plant: nothing remains of the original naturalized centre, created probably during the 3rd century b. C. after the construction of the road. The visit itinerary in Carsulae starts from a monument of Paleo-Christian or Paleo-medieval era: the Saint Damiano church, built over the ruins of a roman building of uncertain functionality, these ruins are evident on the south front. The dedication to Saint Damiano (or more exactly to the Saints Cosma and Damiano) is quite strange and for this reason interesting, in fact these houses of God with similar dedications are typical of the Byzantine period (6th century). The original building, with a unique rectangular hall with apse, was transformed (probably in the 11th century) with the addition of an arcade in the front, made with used materials and at the internal with two porticos.
The Museum of the Opera of Guido Calori (San Gemini)
The Museum of the Opera of Guido Calori is situated inside the third cloister of the ex-nunnery of the Claries of Saint Gemini located in the most high point of the town, the Rione Rocca. The museum collets the most part of the paintings and the sculptures made by Guido Calori. These works were conserved at the roman report of via Pinciana, shared for some years with the painter Amerigo Bartoli Natiguerra. The building, after the death of the artist was required by the Municipality of Rome, which was the legal owner, constraining the heirs to remove with hurry.
Petrarca's house (Arezzo)
Francesco Petrarca was born in Arezzo on July the 20th of 1304, son of Eletta Canigiani and Ser Petracco, Florentine in exile. The house of Borgo dell’Orto 28 is, according to the tradition, the house where he was born. The actual building dates back to the end of the 15th century and for several years it was a private house, then it became the seat of the police headquarters of Arezzo, which remain here until the 1926, the year in which the house was restored, in this occasion there were found traces of a precedent building, maybe dated at the 13th century. More times Francesco Petrarca declared that he was born in Arezzo, for example in the Posteritati letter, in the Senili 8th letter to Giovanni Boccaccio and in that to the young coke Giovanni Aretino, rather in this letter he affirmed that he was born in a intimate alley, that is in the heart of the town. He adds also a curious news: coming back from Rome for the jubilee of 1350 he stops at Arezzo, where his fellow citizens made a happy welcome and they bring him to visit his birth home, rather the city authorities prohibited to the owner to transform it. Now the house is the seat of the prestigious Petrarca academy of Liberal arts and sciences. Inside a rich library is conserved inside the house, the main group is made by the objects of Francesco Redi, there are also ancient books and precious antiquary editions. At the Petrarca’s house we can visit a valuable picture’s collection, which belongs in part to the same academy. Moreover the academy has a rich and interesting coin collection, there are about 5000 coins of different periods which belong to the era from the 4th century b. C until the 14th century a. C. Secretary: Albergotti street, tel: 0575/24700 fax: 0575/298846
Archaeological museum (Arezzo)
It is situated in the building of the 16th century, made on the ruins of the Roman Amphitheatre; it conserves rich Etruscan and roman materials. Among them remarkable coins collections, Etruscan and Greek pots, sculptures and precious coral jars with relieves (1st century b. C – 1st century a. C). Moreover pre-historical reports; tools, objects, bronze objects, stamps, mirrors, ceramics and Villanovan, Etruscan, Greek, roman and Campanian pots. On the front of the museum there are the rests of the Roman amphitheatre, of imperial age (entrance in Crispi road, 50).
Hours: from 9am to 2pm, Holidays: from 9 am to 1pm. Opened on the first and the last week of each month.
National Etruscan Museum (Chiusi)
Archaeological collection which documents each aspect of the Etruscan life: cinerary vases, sarcophagus, buccheros, xonia (feminine goddess situated at garde of the tombs), cinerary vases with the image of the dead, small statues, objects as pots and jars, jewels, arms, ceramics and amphorae. The objects are dated back from the iron age (Villanovan period) to the 2nd century b. C. Others Greek and roman reports, Epigraphic section. A museum guide can escort you to the Etruscan Necropolis, with very interesting room-tombs hollowed on the rocks (the Scimmia tombs, Bonci-Casuccini and del Colle conserved several frescoes).
The museum of the Cathedral of Chiusi
The museum of the Cathedral of Chiusi is composed by a itinerary extremely differentiated, which permits to visit some sections of the palace, garden and the bishop’s kitchen gardens, the Etruscan tunnels the tower-bell and, outside the historical centre, the Catacombs of Saint Mustiola and Saint Caterina, the unique Christian catacombs situated in Tuscany. The first core of the museum dated back to the 1932 under the order of the Bishop Giuseppe Conti for the books of the chorus of the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore. The new equipment was made in 1984 and on the 30th of May 1992 it was inaugurated the enlargement of the museum with the opening of four halls, connected at the corridor of the Corali, at the first floor of the palace. The garden and the bishop’s kitchen garden belongs to the museum itinerary from the beginning, meanwhile only in 1995 the archaeological itinerary was opened with Etruscan tunnels: through them it is possible to walk under the square and reach the roman cistern and the tower-bell. In the first hall there are also materials of the imperial roman age: among them a cinerary marble urn of the Augustan Period and a part of the great marble sarcophagus with images of battles against the barbarians, datable from the end of the 2nd century to the beginning of the 3rd century a. C. In the attached hall there are silvers, vases, drapes, sacred ornaments proceeding from the most part from the Cathedral of Saint Secondiano.
Diocesan Museum of Cortona
The diocesan Museum of Cortona is situated at the front of the Cathedral in the Archaeological complex of Gesù, it was enlarged on initiative of the bishop Giuseppe Franciolini in 1945 with the restoration of an attached building in which in addition to the house of the guardian and the museum’s direction, a space for the exhibitions was obtained. Nine exhibition’s halls compose the museum and it collects artworks datable from the 2nd century a. C to the modern art of this century proceeding almost from the town’s churches and collected here for their preservation and safety. It is obvious that, as such as in the other museums, the guest should place the works in the original context of the churches with the aim of enjoy their beauty. After the room 1, where a marvellous sarcophagus of the 2nd century a C. is conserved, in the room 2 works of the aretian and Siena painting of the 14th century are conserved. In room 3, more exactly the ex-church of Gesù and where we can admire the ceiling made by Michelangelo Leggi in 1536, masterpieces of the Italian painting of the 15th century are exhibited. In the room 4 there are works of Signorelli and of his school. In room 5, passing through the Stairs where there is the exhibition of the paperboard of Cruces way of the Cortonian Gino Severini (1883-1966), from here we can pass in the room 6 where there is the Oratory of the ex-church of Gesù with the walls covered with frescoes by Cristofano Gherardi, scholar of Vasari.
Opening hours:
From the 1st of April to the 31st of October: 10am-7pm (on October, closed on Mondays)
From the 1st of November to the 31st of March: 10am-5pm closed on Mondays
For info and booking: 0575 637235 or aioncultura@aioncultura.org
National museum of Mansi Palace (Lucca)
The Mansi Palace was acquired from the State in 1965 in order to become the seat of the National Museum of Lucca. Built between the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th one, linking more ancient structures, the present internal structure of the vaults and the walls reached the current aspect during the works made in the second half of the 17th century until the forward 18th century. The shape of the stairs is very particular, it is a unique ramp, which starts from the internal front to the first floor with a loggia opened over the garden. From the entrance hall of the ground floor we can pass to the summer apartment, decorated with refined frescoes of the 17th and 18th centuries. On the first floor there is the famous monumental apartment, once a time vaunt of the palace and now the core of the Museum. The itinerary starts with the visit of the famous mirrors’ hall, then the music hall with frescoes of Giovan Gioseffo del Sole, from which we can enter to the small chapel of the palace, from here we can start the visit of the three salons panelled with Fleming tapestry. After that we are in the Picture’s gallery which received the Mansi collection, now missing. The furniture of the palace is very interesting and it includes several eras from the 17th century to the 18th one, they are conserved in the original furniture. From the third salon we can enter to the famous hall of Alcova set up between the 17th and the 18th century, with embroided wall papers in satin.
National Museum of Villa Guinigi (Lucca)
The museum is situated in the suburban house of Paolo Guinigi, sir of Lucca during the first thirty years of the 15th century. Inside the museum there is one of the most typical examples of art connected with the figurative culture of a particular type of territory. The collections include quite exclusively works made for Lucca or for the Lucca’s sirs.
The main core of the collection dated back to the abolition of the religious order and its following passage to the state so the ecclesiastical goods passed to the propriety of the State after the Italy’s unit and they became integrated with storage of several organizations, donations from private citizens and purchases. Villa Guinigi became town’s museum only in 1924, final stage of a not good series of destinations. After the post-war, the villa with the attached museum was rent from the Municipality to the State, which supplied to a complete restoration of the building, this work allows to bring the Villa to the ancient splendour. In the garden situated outside Villa Guinigi, there are some archaeological and medieval reports, among them the lions posed on the urban walls. Inside Villa Guinigi, the archaeological sector was recently enlarged thanks to the important retrievals of the last years: there are here the reports of the town and of the territory from the prehistory to the late roman period. At the ground floor there are two small rooms dedicated respectively to the coins’ collection and the other one to the ceramics. Next the medieval itinerary starts and in the most part there are fragments of architectural decorations or however works connected to the architecture. Here we can find some example of Longobardian goldsmith.
Town's Museum and Picture's Gallery
The museum is situated in the Gothic palace Neri Orselli. A great collection of paintings of the Senese and Florentine school between the 13th and 18th century is exhibited. The terracotta of Andrea and Luca della Robbia, the Paintings of Margaritone d’Arezzo, Girolamo di Benvenuto and Sodoma and these of the workshop of Duccio di Buoninsegna and Filippo Lippi are particularly interesting, a collection of portraits between the 16th and 19th century is also very important.
For information: Via Ricci 10 - tel 0578717300
The tower of Pisa
The Tower of Pisa is the bell tower of the Cathedral. Its construction began in the august of 1173 and continued (with two long interruptions) for about two hundred years, in full fidelity to the original project, whose architect is still uncertain.
In the past it was widely believed that the inclination of the Tower was part of the project ever since its beginning, but now we know that it is not so. The Tower was designed to be "vertical" (and even if it did not lean it would still be one of the most remarkable bell towers in Europe), and started to incline during its construction.
Both because of its inclination, and its beauty, from 1173 up to the present the Tower has been the object of very special attention. During its construction efforts were made to halt the incipient inclination through the use of special construction devices; later columns and other damaged parts were substituted in more than one occasion; today, interventions are being carried out within the sub-soil in order to significantly reduce the inclination and to make sure that Tower will have a long life.
In all this story it is possible to find a meaningful constant, the "genetic code" of the Tower: its continual interaction with the soil on which it was built. Today's (1999) works for the safeguard and the conservation of the Tower with very advanced methodologies are designed to fully respect this constant.
The Museum of the Opera of the Cathedral (Pisa)
The Museum of the Opera of the Cathedral is situated in Miracles’ Square, in the ex hall of the Capitolo of the Cathedral, dated back to the 13th century.
It was inaugurate in1986 in order to collect the reports removed from the Cathedral and the Baptistery for reasons of safeguard and also to make expose, according to modern ways of exhibition, which allow a very good presentation and a large appreciation. Among the sculptures the works of Tino di Camaino and Giovanni Pisano are very important, included the Virgin with a Child in ivory, carving by Giovanni in 1300 for the mayor altar of the Cathedral.
In the hall of the Treasure there are several reliquaries of the 17th and 18th centuries and also some medieval ones saved from the blaze, among them this one, which contain, according to the tradition, some rocks of the Golgota and hermit’s cloth of Saint Ranieri, patron of the town.
Moreover there are collected paintings from the 15th to the 17th century. Next there are a series of wooden inlaid tables proceeding from the ancient chorus of the apse, a collection of sacred clothes and several Etruscan, Roman and Egyptian reports. These latter were collected in the 17th century by Carlo Lasinio, curator of the graveyard. He made of it a kind of museum. Finally, always made by Lasinio, there are coloured stamps with watercolour representing the frescoes of the Graveyard, which, nowadays, are the attestations of what they were.
Museum of Sacred Arts (San Casciano in Val di Pesa)
The Vicarial Museum of Religious Art in San Casciano contains paintings, sculpture, furnishings and religious vestments that come from various places of worship in the district (parish churches, parishes, oratories). It offers valuable documentation on the local artistic traditions and history, as well as showing that this area has never wasted its experiences of culture or other manifestations of taste, but always been aware of and taken part in a much wider circulation of ideas.
The museum is housed in the Church of Santa Maria del Gesù, in one of the main streets of the town, and still open for worship, though not regularly officiated. The building, introduced by a three-arched portico, is built on a single nave, covered with a trussed roof and ends in a rectangular tribune, which can be reached through a large round arch resting on projecting cornices. A chancel, supported by stone corbels, stands on the left of the presbytery while two large 17 C altars are placed against the sidewalls of church itself. The appearance of the church today is not that of the original, but the result of a major restoration carried out between 1951 and 1952 to repair the severe bomb damage it suffered during the Second World War. In fact, only the sacristy, the sidewalls and the two altars were saved.
Town's museum (San Gimignano)
The Palace of Popolo or the new Palace of Podestà, now site of the Municipality, is situated on the left side of the Cathedral Square. It is one of the most important monuments of San Gimignano, inside it there is the site of the Town’s museum, rich with paintings of Florentine and Senese Schools of the 13th century as such as the Crucifix painted by Coppo di Marcovaldo, of the 15th century as the triptych of Niccolò Tegliacci and of Taddeo di Bartolo, moreover important works of the 15th century of Domenico Michelino, Pinturicchio and Filippino Lippi. In the halls of the palace there are various frescoes on the walls as such as the scenes of private life painted by Memmo di Filippuccio and the majesty painted by Lippo Memmi. On the left front of the palace there is the high and strong tower built in 1300. On the terrace at the front of the entrance the Podestà swear in. on the opposite side there is a small balcony with parapet called the Arengo.
Museum of Sacred Arts (San Gimignano)
The museum was created in 1915 and lodged in the Sacristy Della Pieve until 1929, the year of its final settlement in the actual site. It was recently rearranged; it includes all the material proceeding from the convents or churches or from the same Collegiate, sometimes from donations of private citizens. Some objects belong to the Municipality. It is divided in more rooms and it includes precious objects. Among them we had to remember the wooden sculptures of the 14th century: the Annunciation with the two statues of the Angel and the Madonna, from which remains only the bust and the crucifix without hands, it puts the feet on a wooden sole, and the wonderful Corali and Antiphonaries of Niccolò di Ser Sozzo Tegliacci and Lippo Vanni, of the 14th century. On the opposite of the Corali we have: the Madonna of the rose, part of a triptych by Bartolo di Fredi. In the hall of the silver objects, there are delicate chiselled and embossed examples of goldsmith. Remarkable works of high handcraft with noteworthy and refined technique for the most part of the 17th and 18th century, fabrics in satin or silk decorated in gold or silver.
The Cathedral of Siena
The Cathedral is a wonderful construction, built in a half-gothic and half-Romanesque style, with green and white marbles on the front. Inside the church there are works of several famous artists, among them also Donatello, Pisano and Arnolfo di Cambio. One of the main attractions is the marble floor, to which several artists participate to its construction. The museum of the Cathedral, situated on the same square, lodges some original statues of Pisano, moved there for preservation reasons and several artistic works, among them the Famous Majesty of Duccio of Buoninsegna. The hospital of Saint Mary della Scala overlooks on the same square. This latter building lodged a museum complex in which there are frescoes, artistic works and valuables objects collected during long years of its millenary history; nowadays temporary exhibitions are held there.
Town's museum and Tower of Mangia (Siena)
The Public palace had a starting project whose the author is unknown and it suffered different constructive stages: already from the 1304 the part overlooking on the square was probably built, then we proceed with an enlargement of the central section which lodged the Loggia of the Nine, the hall of the Council, the offices of Biccherna; the large following changes were these of Carlo Fontana at the end of the 17th century (which concerns the elevations of the two side wings) and these of the end of the 19th century for the restoration of the front with a new-Gothic style. The palace reached the aspect, which nowadays conserved with the institution of the Town’s museum in the thirty years of this century. It has an historical and artistic patrimony of extraordinary value thanks to works as such as the Majesty of Simone Martini, the Good and the Bad Govern of Ambrogio Lorenzetti, moreover Italian and strangers painting dated back from the 15th to the 18th centuries, ceramics of Senese handcraft included from the 14th to the 18th century and other precious collections. In the Council hall the revolving globe painted by Ambrogio Lorenzetti in 1345 is situated; a round turning frame covered of light material and then lost makes it.
On the left side of the Public Palace, the Tower of Mangia lifts up, 88 meters tall, it stands for the Communal freedoms and the abolition of the feudal power, it ringed for the first time on the occasion of the terrifying epidemic disease which damaged the Senese economy closing its Golden age.
Ceramic’s museum of Tuscia (Viterbo)
The Ceramic’s museum of Tuscia is situated in the centre of the town, on the ground floor, in the locals, which belong to the Carivit Foundation, in palace Brugiotti of the 16th century, wonderful example of after-renaissance archictecture. With a surface of about 440 square meters, it is divided in more rooms opened over a “surprise” garden decorated with fountains with figures. The museum gives hospitality to more than 200 medieval and renaissance objects for the large part proceeding from the area of high Lazio. With the primitives with simple impasto, belonging to the 12th century, we can admire various handcraft of the Green family of the 15th century, and wonderful objects decorated with blue “Zaffera” with a relief. The group of the castrense ceramics of the solar colours and with the particular small houses painted “a guazzo” belonged to the 16th and 17th centuries. The set of Chemist’s pots of the 17th century with decoration with the symbols of the Hospital and of the Municipality of Viterbo are exhibited in a chronological itinerary. This same symbol is present also on the last and unique report of the 18th century of the collection. Two groups of handcrafts complete the exhibition, together with the Chronological itinerary: the set of a spicery of the 15th century with saplings and jars on which the capacity of the contents is engraved and a group of ceramics Hispanic- Moresque proceeding from the Barcelona’s Museum.
Address: Brugiotti palace, Cavour Street, 67
Telephone number:
Opening days: Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
The town's museum (Viterbo)
The town’s museum is divided in two itineraries: the archaeological one and the Picture’s gallery. The archaeological section conserves material of the Villanovan, Etruscan and roman period, the most precious piece is a roman sarcophagus of the 3rd century a. C. called Bella Galiana. The picture’s gallery includes works from the 13th to the 19th century: terracotta, robbiane, paintings and sculptures. Among them there is the flagellation and the Piety of Sebastian del Piombo (16th century), the Madonna with the Child of Vitale from Bologna and the Incredulity of Saint Thomas by Salvator Rosa.
Vatican museum (Roma)
The Vatican museums includes until now:
Vatican Picture’s gallery: the collection was situated before in the Borgia’s apartment, until the Pope Pio the 9th ordered that it had to be built a palace dedicated to this collection. The architect who received the task was Luca Beltrami. The gallery contains works of painter as such as Michelangelo, Raffaello and Beato Angelico.
The Museum of contemporary art contains works of artist as Carlo Carrà and Giorgio de Chirico.
Museum Pio-Clementinum: Pope Clemente the 14th made build this museum in 1771; at the beginning it collected renaissance and ancient works. The museum and its collection were enlarged by his successor, the pope Pio the 6th. Now the museum gives hospitality to ancient roman and Greek sculptures.
The museum is composed by 54 halls or galleries, the Sistine chapel is the last one, among the most important galleries we can remember: Hall in the shape of Greek cross, gives hospitality to the sarcophagus of Costantina and Elena, daughter and mother of Costantino the 1st, Round hall: it contains several mosaics and ancient sculptures.
Gallery of the statues: as the name suggests it includes important sculptures as the sleeping Arianna and the Bernini’s candlestick. Busts’ gallery: there several busts in marble exhibited;
Hall of the masks: this name derives from the mosaic situated on the floor of the gallery, founded in Villa Adriana, which represents a large number of masks. Around the walls there are several famous statues exhibited as the three Graces.
Hall of the Muses: there is the group of statues of Apollo and of the nine Muses, in addition to several works of important ancient Greek sculptors.
Hall of the animals: called in this way for the large number of statues of animals;
Chiaramonti museum: its name derives from the pope Pio the 7th Chiaramonti, who founded it at the beginnings of the 19th century. A large gallery with arches composes it; on the sides there are several sculptures, sarcophagus and ornaments. The new wing of the palace, built by Raphael Stern, collected famous statues as such as the Augustus of Prima Porta. Another part of the museum is the lapidary Gallery, which contains more than 3000 tablets and inscriptions on stones, representing the larger collection in the world for this kind of handcrafts. This gallery is opened only in rare occasions, generally for study’s aims.
Gregorian and Etruscan Museum: founded in 1836 by Pope Gregorio the 13th, this museum has eight galleries and it contains several objects of the Etruscan Era, proceeding from the archaeological excavations. Among them pots, sarcophagus, bronze statues and the famous collection Guglielmi.
Gregorian Egyptian museum: founded by Pope Gregorio the 16th, it collects a large collection of reports of the ancient Egypt. The material exhibited includes papyrus, animals’ mummies, the famous book of the dead people and the collection Grassi.
Tapestry’s gallery
Ethnological-missionary museum
Sacred museum (library)
Profane museum
Historical Vatican museum
Moreover we can visit: the belvedere palace, the hall of the Dames, the Immaculate’s hall, the Raffaello’s rooms, hall of chiaroscuros, niccolina chapel, Sistine chapel, Borgia’s apartment, Sistine hall, hall of the aldobrandin weddings.
Town's museum (Pesaro)
The town’s museum of Pesaro, created in 1920 and situated at the second floor of Palace Toschi Mosca from 1936, in the heart of the historical centre. They are divided in two sections: The picture’s gallery (4 rooms) and the ceramic’s museum (6 halls). The picture’s gallery, created after the Italy’s unit, at the beginning collected works, which proceed from the abolition of the religious confraternities of the town. Among them there is one of the most important painting of the Italian renaissance: the altar piece of the coronation of the Virgin by Giovanni Bellini, made by the Venetian painter about in the 1475 for the church of Saint Francis. Other reliable works proceed from the city’s churches ad the Christ’s deposition an the head of the Baptist of Marco Zoppo, the Polittico of the Beata Michelina of Jacobello del Fiore or the penitent Magdalene and the Saint Giuseppe of the pesarese Simone Cantarini. After the end of the 19th century some private collections were acquired for testament, these works gives to the collection its final identity: in addition to the two hundred and more paintings of the Marquise Victoria Toschi Mosca, given together with pictures, prints and furnishings for the realization of the Museum of Industrial Arts, also the important collection of paintings of the lords Machirelli Giordani, which belonged to the learned Hannibal degli Abbati Olivieri. With a legacy of Giochino Rossini, precious works of the Bolognese collection Hercolani reached Pesaro.
Birth home of Raffaello (Urbino)
With the death of Raffaello, happened the holy Friday in Rome on April the 6th of 1520, the house became propriety of the heirs (Ciarla and Vagnini) who divided it between them. After alternated passages, the architect of Urbino Muzio Oddi, who lived in the neighbourhood, bought a section of the ancient house of the Santi on September, the 27th of 1635, exactly the part where was born Raffaello, according to the tradition. He restored the building attaching it to its own and he put on the front the beautiful Latin inscription with the couplet of Bembo, which we can read until now. After alternated events the house was acquired by the Raffaello academy in 1873, which, thanks to a public signing and the generous contribution of the noble Londoner John Morris Moore, became its own seat and the jealous keeper. Thanks to the interest of the Academy, the house enriched of several art works, fruit of the generous collaboration of private citizens and public institutions, inside there are now paintings, sculptures, ceramics and wooden furniture. Some of these objects are strictly connected with Raffaello (copies of his paintings, drafts for his monument, homage of others artist of the Painter….)
Address: Museum and exposition halls of the Shop of Giovanni Santi and bookshop 57, V. Raffaello Urbino (PU) - tel. and fax. 0722/320105
National gallery of the Marche and Ducal Palace (Urbino)
On display in the palazzo Ducale, this is amongst the largest collections of Italian art. The exhibition includes as follows: Alvise Vivarini and Vittore Crivelli, Melozzo da Forli', Raffaello with the famous "Ritratto di gentildonna" (better known as "La Muta"), Paolo Uccello with a predella, Andrea del Verrocchio, Piero della Francesca with the "Flagellazione" and the "Madonna di Senigallia", Federico Barocci, Luca Signorelli, Pedro Berruguete, Tiziano with the "Ultima Cena" and the "Resurrezione". Also famous are the "Prospettiva di città ideale", the Alcova by Federico da Montefeltro, the "Studiolo" and the series of 14 portraits which were intended to decorate it, attributed to Giusto di Gand. A collection of pottery from the most well known manufacturers in the Marches, Tuscany and Abruzzo. Flemish tapestries following designs by Raphael. The splendid building is a typical Renaissance residence, defined as a "town in the form of a Palace" and is the most important monument in the Marches. It was designed by Luciano Laurana in 1465 for Federico da Montefeltro; the imposing building was completed by Francesco di Giorgio Martini and by Girolamo Genga and has, since then, overlooked Urbino, with its airy open galleries, with its splendid windows and with the two towers which stand like hinges at the ends of the long façades. The restorations which were completed in 1985, have recuperated the system of the palace's underground passages and made them accessible; these are an interesting labyrinth of rational environments which throw light onto the events and the customs of the court.
Museum Opening times
Tuesday-Sunday: 8.30/19.15
Monday: 8.30/14.00
closing days: January 1st, December 25th, May 1st
Archaeological collection (Tolentino)
The Abbey of Chiaravalle di Fiastra is in the Fiastra Abbey Nature Reserve. The Abbey was founded by the Cistercian monks of the Abbey of Chiaravalle di Milan in 1142. When building the monastery they used building materials taken from the nearby Roman town of Urbs Salvia. In 1422 the Abbey was sacked and partly destroyed by Braccio da Montone. From 1581 to 1773 the monastery was assigned to the Jesuit order and then passed into the possession of the aristocratic Giustiani Bandini family and subsequently to the Giustiani Bandini Foundation. Some Cistercian monks came back to live in the monastery in 1985 and are still there today. The church, in Romanesque style, is very simple; it is cruciform (Latin Cross) with a nave and two aisles. Visitors can reach the cellars used to store agricultural produce from the beautiful XV cloisters. The Chapter House, where the monks gather to read chapters of the Rule of St. Benedict, is also open to the public as is the Lay Brothers’ Refectory with its cross vaults supported on columns from the Roman era. The olive oil store room at present houses an interesting archaeological collection of finds from the ancient town of Urbs Salvia, the surrounding area and from the Abbey itself; there are inscriptions, architectonic decorations and fragments of statues. In addition to the funeraral texts, there are onorary epighaphs and a small fragment which belong to one of the four monumental inscriptions belonging to the amphitheatre. In these last all the charges of the senatory carrier of Lucio Flavio Silva Nonio Basso. The scuptures materials are very interesting, among them there are two portraits representing characters of the imperial family: an image of Augusto and one of Druso.
National Gallery of Umbria (Perugia)
The collections of the National Gallery of Umbria are lodged at the upper floors of Priori Palace, one of the most interesting examples of Gothic civil construction in Italy, from the 1878. The museum collection is the more comprehensive and complete in the Region for the variety and the plurality of the artistic testimony included between the 13th and 19th centuries. Some works used for didactic aims by the Design Academy of Perugia, founded in 1573, constitutes the original core of the collection. Then some works given by private citizens added to the core, but the collection increased mainly thanks to the artistic and ecclesiastic patrimony, after the provision of the suppression of the religious orders and corporations, emanated before by the Napoleonic Govern and then from the Italian state. In the 1863 the Town’s picture’s gallery entitled to Pietro Vannucci was created. In 1918 the precious collection was decreed that it has a national relevance and it took the name of Regia Galleria Vannucci and then National Gallery of Umbria. The organization of the museum, introduced in the final appearance in December 2006, proposes the works in a chronological order. The objects from the 13th to the 15th century are exhibited at the third floor of the historical building, those from the 16th to the 19th century are exhibited at the third one; the itinerary inside the museum is divided by monographic sections dedicated to the Umbrian fabrics, to the goldsmith, ceramics, ancient graphic and topography. The collection includes masterpieces of Maestro of Saint Francesco, Arnolfo di Cambio, Nicola and Giovanni Pisano, Duccio di Buoninsegna, Gentile da Fabriano, Beato Angelico, Benozzo Gozzoli, Piero della Francesca, Agostino di Duccio, Francesco di Giorgio Martini, a conspicous core of paintings of Pietro Vannucci called The Perugino, moreover the works of Pintoricchio, Orazio Gentileschi, Pietro da Cortona, Valentin de Boulogne, Sebastiano Conca, Pierre Subleyras, Jean Baptiste Wicar. The gallery has large spaces on the upper floors, as the Hall Podiani and the attached Conference room, dedicated to exhibitions, meeting and didactic activities.
National Archaeological Museum of Umbria (Perugia)
The National Archaeological Museum of Umbria is an archaeological museum with its site in Perugia, at the square Giordano Bruno. Since 1948 it was situated in the complex of Saint Domenico. It is divided in two big main sections dedicated to prehistory and to the Etruscan – Roman period. In 1960, after the donation from the Municipality of Perugia, the Italian state takes over in the management of the Museum. In 1964 the Superintendence of the Antiquities was created, now it is called Superintendence for the Archaeological goods of Umbria. Several of the reports exhibited proceed from excavations started in the 19th century: among them we can find very interesting works as the Sarcophagus of Sperandio, the Cippo of Perugia, the archaic bronzes of Castel Saint Mariano. Moreover the reconstruction in loco of the tomb of Cai-Cutu (3rd and 1st century B. C), with the funeral dowries is very interesting from the historical-archaeological point of view. Several pre-historical reports proceed from the purchase of a private collection but also from excavations campaigns, which, since the first years of the 19th century enlarged the consistence of the museum.
Museum of the laces at Isola Maggiore (Trasimeno Lake)
The Marchioness Elena, daughter of the marquis Giacinto Guglielmi, introduced this type of manufacturing of the lace with crochet needle in 1904. The lady made come to the island a teacher from the Ireland in order to teach the technique to the girls of the island. Yarns and subtle crochet needle were used for the manufacturing in order to have thorough effects of embroidery. The school went on until half of the last century; Mrs Elvira Tosetti who was used to read pieces from the Gerusalemme Liberata to the girls in order to make more enjoyable the work guided it. For this reason we can explain the use of some epic names (which stroked the fancy of the workers) given by the girls to their sons. The main applications were table clothes, collars, handkerchiefs, gloves, but also complete clothes. The art of the lace was later handed down from mother to daughter and it is performed until now.
A selection of this kind of laces is exhibited in the palace yet site of the prayerful works of the Island Maggiore.
Capitolini's Museums (Roma)
The Capitolini’s Museums are situated in two buildings one in front to the other: the palace of the Conservatori and the new palace or the museum one. Both were built in Campidoglio according to the urban settlement of the square projected by Michelangelo. Together with the Senatori Palace, which is situated as background, they are the classic area of the heart of Roma. The foundation of the Museum Capitolini dated back to the 1471, to the date of the donation of some bronze works made by the people of Rome from Sisto the 4th, so they can be considered the oldest public collection of the world. Capitolina Picture’s gallery: the collection is made by the paintings of the collection Sacchetti and Pio of Savoia, brought in the 1748-50 and increased with donations, purchases and legacies. It includes works of Caravaggio, Guercino, Tintoretto, Annibale Carracci, Paolo Veronese, Scarsellino, Palma il Vecchio, Tiziano, Rubens, Antonio van Dyck, Calvaert, etc..
Municipality's library and Etruscan academy (Cortona)
The history of the constitution and development of the Library of the Municipality and of the Cortona’s academy is mixed up with that of the Etruscan academy. The latter was born in 1726 for the will of learned man and local studied men with the aim of spread the culture with the purchase of books of scholarship and science; in 1727 there is official admission by the grand duke, then the stipulation of a convention with the Municipality for the institution of a library, with seat in Casali Palace. During the following years, several learned men famous all over the world as such as Montesquieu, Voltaire, Winckelmann, Muratori, Maffei worked in the Academy, it will be very important also the cultural activity of the Association with the foundation of the museum and the publication of works of remarkable importance and historical interest as such as the term papers of academic discussions, the cortonense museum, the review Polimnia and nowadays the yearbook.As the same the library increases and develops thanks to the generosity of the single donor and thanks to the suppressions made by the Napoleonic laws. The library acquires works and manuscripts fundamental for the culture, as the famous Laudario Cortonese (12th century) or the beautiful manuscript of the first years of the 14th century of the Divina Commedia of Dante. About in 1960 a separated seat of the Library was created. Nowadays the two libraries are managed by a Scientific Committee on the basis of conventions, renewed in 1998 and stipulated between the Etruscan academy and the Municipality.
Uffizi Gallery (Firenze)
This is one of the most famous museums of paintings and sculpture in the world. Its collection of Primitive and Renaissance paintings comprises several universally acclaimed masterpieces of all time, including works by Giotto, Simone Martini, Piero della Francesca, Fra Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Botticelli, Mantegna, Correggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo and Caravaggio. German, Dutch and Flemish masters are also well represented with important works by Dürer, Rembrandt and Rubens.
The Uffizi Gallery occupies the top floor of the large building erected by Giorgio Vasari between 1560 and 1580 to house the administrative offices of the Tuscan State. The Gallery was created by Grand-duke Francesco I and subsequently enriched by various members of the Medici family, who were great collectors of
paintings, sculpture and works of art. The collection was rearranged and enlarged by the Lorraine Grand-dukes, who succeeded the Medici, and finally by the Italian State.
The Uffizi buildings also house other important collections: the Contini Bonacossi Collection and the Collection of Prints and Drawings (Gabinetto Disegni e Stampe degli Uffizi).
The Vasari Corridor, the raised passageway connecting the Uffizi with the Pitti Palace, was built by Vasari in 1565. It is hung with an important collection of 17th-century paintings and the famous collection of artists’ Self-portraits.
Archaeological museum and Picture gallery (Amelia)
The museum collects roman and high-medieval reports, once a time conserved in the courtyard and in the storehouses of the Municipality and the Spagnoli Collection, but it also includes a small collection of pictures of local artist; among them a Pale of Agresti and one of Piermatteo D’Amelia.
The itinerary starts at the ground floor, with a set of explicatory panels about the history of the archaeological research in Amelia and in its territory. The attention to the surviving evidences of the antiquity accelerates the creation of public and private collections: the work of Giovanni Spagnoli is placed following this tradition; there are objects, which belonged to his private collection inside the museum. At the first floor there is an entire hall dedicated to the bronze statue of Germanico, valuable work of the first century a. C. founded in 1963 in Amelia and came back here after a long restoration.
The visit to the Archaeological museum has important stages for the Amelia’s history with the roman control of the town from the 4th century b. C until the 3rd century b. C. through the conquer of the territories of Umbria by the Romans.
At the second floor there are several inscriptions, sarcophagus and altars, high medieval material that testifies the Christianisation of the area and it concludes where we can find paintings made by local artists.
For information: Società Sistema Museo,
Palazzo Boccarini, tel. 0744/978120
Museum of Saint Francis’ Basilica and Perkins collection (Assisi)
The museum, who was re-opened in 2000, is lodged in the Gothic big hall of the Holy Convent and in an attached hall. The treasure of the Basilica is preserved in the big hall. The first objects were a gift of Pope Gregorio IX and of other sovereigns when in 1230 the Francis’ body was moved in the Saint George church for being laid down the crypt in the centre of the transept of the Church. During the following years several precious objects went on flowing so Innocenzo IV emanated in 1253 the Dignum Extimatus bull for not being against the Franciscan poverty ideal. Thanks to this bull, the friars could maintain these goods in order to not lost them.The collection was born in this way and it increases during the centuries but then it suffers a lot of sacks. The treasure was presented for the first time to the public in the papal hall and it was transferred in the actual seat in 1977. There are sinopias and paintings of the 13th and 16th centuries, oriental fabrics, dossals and several jewels among them reliquaries from the 13th to the 17th century, ivories of French Gothic manufactures and liturgical miniated books. In the next hall there is the Perkins collection. It was exposed for the first time in 1986 and it was a testamentary donation of the American art critic Federico Mason Perkins who become a Franciscan friar at the Basilica and died in Assisi in 1955. Among the most precious works, there are paintings of Lorenzo Monaco, Pietro Lorenzetti, Taddeo di Bartolo, Bartolo di Fredi, beato Angelico, Sassetta, sano di Pietro, Antoniazzo Romano, Bartolomeo della Gatta, Garofalo. For information: Santa Maria degli Angeli basilica, tel 075/80511
The Town Museum of Santi palace (Cascia)
The town museum is situated in two seats: the main one was opened in 1997 and its seat is the town palace of the rich family Santi. It was heavily damaged during the earthquake in 1599, then he was restored and rebuilt between 1600 and 1601 thanks to Pierluigi, one of the main member of that family who in the beginning of the 17th century reached the apex of the richness and political and social prestige. From the 1704 to the 1738 the building gave hospitality to the capuchin nuns of Saint Clare; they made several fittings of the palace and they built the next church of Saint Emidio. During the following years it became the headquarter of the Corsican soldiers of Cascia and public school governed by the Jesuits, then carabineers’ barracks and next boarding school of the tourist school. The works inside the museum proceed from churches and city convents which belonged to the municipality after the unity of Italy and the consequent abolition of the ecclesiastical societies whose belonged. These works added to a rich pre-existent group, which derived from the goods of the family Frenfanelli, whose palace was taken from the municipality in 1706. In fact several fitting objects proceed from this palace and they are exhibited in Poli hall, among them the portraits of the bishop Fausto Poli and pope Innocenzo IX, both linked with long and documented relationships with some of the members of Frenfanelli family. The richness of the surroundings and its artistic vitality during the centuries are testified also by the archaeological material exhibited in the two halls in the ground floor and by the works of the picture-gallery, some of them moved to Cascia after the earthquake in 1979. A group of wooden sculptures of the 13th and 15th centuries and rare proof of the medieval patrimony of holy art are extraordinary interesting.
For information: Palace Santi, P.zza A. Moro Tel. 0743/751010
Civic Diocesan Museum (Norcia)
It was reopened in1996 as permanent exhibition waiting for a significant museum exposition, it is situated in the first floor of the Castellina, the rocca on the Saint Benedetto square, built in 1554 on the project of Jacopo Barozzi from Vignola, according to the will of Pope Giulio the 2nd.
The preparation of the Museum on the first floor of this important building dates back after the earthquake of 1979. Among the most important works in exhibition there are: “the blue cross” (13th century) a crucifix, tempera attributed to a master of Spoleto, a crucifix painted, tempera of the 1241 made by a “Petrus Pictor”, a tempera painting on table “Madonna with child and saints of the Franciscan order” of 1525 of Antonio Da Faenza, a group of wooden polychrome statues representing the scene of the Deposition (13th century) proceeding from a Umbrian shop and the only one entirely conserved in Umbria, the polychrome wooden statue of Santa Giuliana (15th century) made by a Umbrian sculptor, the sculptures in stone calciolfa representing the Madonna with her child, the adoring angels, Saint Giovanni Baptiste and Saint Giovanni Evangelist (1469) made by Giovanni Dalmata, the terra-cotta sculptures of the Virgin and of the Angel during the Annunciation (1510) made by Luca della Robbia.
For information: 1 San Benedetto square, Tel. 0743/817030
Museum Circuit open: Corgna’s Palace, Saint Mary of the Bianchi’s Oratory, Saint Agostino’s church (Città della Pieve)
Corgna’s Palace, wanted by Ascanio della Corgna in order to impart lustre to his Governorship, finished by the nephew Diomede. The project is attributed to the Perusian Galeazzo Alessi; the internals have rich frescoes by Pomarancio and Salvio Savini (1580) with mythological representations in Tuscan-roman style.
Città della Pieve was the birthplace to Pietro Vannucci called the Perugino (because he belong to the Perugia’s country) and it conserves his masterpiece “the Magi’s Adoration”, fresco of the 1504, situated in the Saint Mary of the Bianchi’s Oratory in Vannucci Street. In the church of Saint Mary of Servi, outside the city walls, there is a big fresco “ the Deposition” of 1517, it was destroyed by the rebuilt of the church in the 17th century. Outside the Casalino door, destroyed in the last century, situated at the end of Vannucci Street, there is the church of Saint Agostino. Built originally in the 13th century, the church was restored in Baroque forms in 1789, there are here paintings of Umbrian Authors of the 16th and 17th century and several works of Salvio Savini: in the third right altar: Madonna della Spiga, in the apse, there is a table with the Madonna in Gloria and Saints (1584) and in the third left altar S. Nicola da Tolentino (1606).
For information: Tel. 0578/299375
Town’s Picture Gallery (Città di Castello)
The palace, in which there is the picture gallery since 1912, is an example of Tuscan gentlemanly architecture of the 16th century and it was the residence of the Vitelli, governators and commanders of Città di Castello.
The front is decorated by graffiti of C. Gherardi on the basis of the draft of Vasari, meanwhile the indoor are decorated with profane frescoes of Cola dell’Amatrice and the same Gherardi.
The collection includes works of different periods, from the 13th to the 19th centuries: paintings, miniatures, sculptures, terra-cottas with glasses, jewelleries, maioliche and very interesting furnishings for the history of the Italian art, in particular ways for the events of the Alta Valle Tiberina, as it is demonstrated with the presence of masters like Raffaello, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Luca ed Andrea della Robbia, Luca Signorelli, Antonio Vivarini, Domenico Ghirlandaio.
For information: Vitelli palace alla Cannoniera, Cannoniera street 22/A, tel. 075/8520656
Town's museum of Trinci Palace (Foligno)
The town museum is situated in the Trinci palace. The museum includes the archaeological museum and the Picture-gallery. The building, built in tardy gothic between the 1389 and the 1407, represents one of the best-conserved noble houses in Italy. The museum, new equipped in 2000, includes two archaeological sections and the antiques collection of the Trinci family. The first section is on the basement and collects the oldest materials, which belong, from the 7th to the 1st centuries b.C: ceramics, bronze objects, fragments of architectonical structures and funerary tombstone.
The second section collects recoveries dated from the 1st to the 3rd century a.C. and reports of ancient antiques collections. At the second floor of the palace we can visit the collection Trinci: the relieves of Love and Psyche, of Hermes and of the goat, etc.
The Picture gallery dates back to 1863, when for the abolition of the religious orders, the artistic objects of the convents and nunneries became proprieties of the municipality.
For information: Trinci Palace, Republic square, tel. 0742/357697
Town’s museum of Consoli’s Palace (Gubbio)
The halls of Consoli’s palace give hospitality to the collections of the Town’s museum from 1909.
The building is considered the main museum of the town of Gubbio, it is in fact an inevitable destination in the regional tours. The museum collection equipped in several floors, shows the history and the local culture from the 6th century b.C and the 19th century a.C.
The Iguvine Tables are the most important work and they are famous all over the world; they are seven bronze plates on which the most important text in Umbrian language is engraved, it is the larger description of religious events in the ancient west world. The tables represent the heart of a archaeological collection among the richest one in Umbria with reports dates back the Umbrian and roman era.
Important italics and roman objects, medieval pope and ducal coins, minted by the Gubbio’s mint, compose the numismatics collection.
The ceramics collection, equipped in the Loggetta hall and along the secrete corridor, is composed by the ancient maioliche (14th century) and the hand made objects of the 19th century. The Renaissance eugubin production with red and golden lustre of the shop Master Giorgio Andreoli (16th century) is very interesting. The chemist’s potteries are numerically important, it includes original domes of alembic in red terra cotta.
The halls of the first floor gives hospitality to the picture-gallery rich of paintings on table or cloth belonging to the Umbrian school, dated back from the last 13th to the 19th century.
Among them: the miniated reliquary (14th century), the wooden crucifix of Giotto’s school made by the Master of the cross of Gubbio (beginning of the 14th century), the gonfalon (beginning of the 16th century) made by Sinibaldo Ibi, artist of the Perugino and the immaculate conception of Francesco Signorelli (1527).
For information: Consoli’s palace, Grande square, tel. 075/9274298
Archaeological Museum and Roman Theatre (Spoleto)
The archaeological museum of Spoleto is situated in the ex nunnery of Saint Agata. The monumental complex is built over the structures of the roman theatre and it uses its walls and materials. It proposes the documentation of the history of the town and of the land through permanent exhibitions, there are materials which proceeds from recent excavations and from the town’s collection. There are fragments of materials dated back to the bronze final era, founded in the town’s area; they testified the originals centres from which the urban centre of Spoleto expanded. The roman age is described with portraits in marble and inscriptions and a photographic documentation of the main ruins of the monuments situated in the town. A section is dedicated to the use and organization of the territory after being a Latin colony in the year 241 b. C. here there is the documentation of the big project of division of the cultivable country in lots of land given to the farmers and of the systematic consecration to the goddess of the surroundings woods. On this subject, two inscribed pillars of the and of the 3rd century b. C are very interesting, they represent a jury and linguistical document: they told about a law for the protection of these sacred woods in two different variations (lex Luci Spoletina).
The second floor of the Museum is dedicated to the Valnerina, a territory in a strong economical and cultural relationship with Spoleto. The oldest phases are represented by discoveries in the proto-historical necropolis of Monteleone di Spoleto at Colle del Capitano. Several votive objects, represented by schematic small bronzes, typical of the Umbrian cultural areas, proceed from Sanctuaries situated in Monteleone di Spoleto and Montefranco. Some votive anatomical terracotta are the sign of the roman influence and of the cult of sanctuaries, also after the romanization. The funeral equipments of Hellenistic era are founded at the end of the 19th century, in the necropolis of Saint Scolastica of Norcia, and they are mainly pots of black varnish. In a tomb with more rooms several fragments, which belonged to the decoration of a funeral bed in bone, were founded. The collection Canzio Sapori is exhibited in a small section. This collection was given to the State in 2001 and it includes several and important reports proceeding from the Valnerina and from the territory nearby Spoleto. Among them there is a cinerary with geometric decoration from Ponte di Cerreto and a relievable male late-republic portrait from Ferentillo.
For information: Via Sant’Agata, 18/a, tel 0743/223277
Town’s museum: Archaeological collection and picture’s gallery (Todi)
The museum permits a rich and variegated visit inside the typological sections, it is situated inside the prestigious Palaces comunali (13th century), on the main city’s square. The route includes a section dedicated to the town’s history, the archaeological collection, the interesting numismatic section (with a rich collection of medals), the sector of the ancient fabrics, the hall with frescoes with the collection of ceramics and the picture’s gallery, where we can find the altar-piece of Spagna (1507/1511).
For information: Società Sistema Museo, Piazza del Popolo, Palazzi Comunali tel. 075. 8944148
Town Pictures' gallery (Terni)
The town pictures’ gallery is situated inside Palazzo Gazzoli of the 18th century. It is divided in two sections: modern and contemporary. In the modern section there are the important paintings “La pala dei Franciscans” of Piermatteo d’Amelia and “the Mystic wedding of Santa Caterina d’Alessandria” of Benozzo Gozzoli. In the contemporary collection there are also the works of the sculptor of Terni Aurelio De Felice and the painter Orneore Metelli.
For information: Società Sistema Museo, Palazzo Gazzoli, Via del Teatro Romano, tel 0744/434209
Albornoz Rocca (Narni)
The Narni’s Rocca is the unique example of fortresses not destroyed built or made built by the Albornoz family in our territory. The Rocca of Narni is the classic military fortress of control and dominion of the town thanks to its characteristics and its position; it is the good expression of the pope Restoration policy followed by the Albornoz family. It is a mistake gives to the fortress the symbol of the power of the town: indeed it showed the decline of autonomy, freedom and strength of this free Municipality, of the Narni’s Civitas. The Rocca was made built not for increase the communal works of defence but because it belongs to the fortresses that the Papacy, after Avignone, set in defence of the State. In that time (1371) there is also the reformation of the Communal Statute: the central power is increased from the podestà to the vicar. The Inhabitants of Narni understood their meanings: the rocca was a stranger for their life for a long time; it was ignored and often hated.Only in 1539 the Rocca became the propriety of a Narni’s inhabitant, Girolamo Arca, officer of the Pope power. The castle is over a hill that dominates the town at 322 meter over the sea level, and it was built on the place of the nunnery of the Clares and of a tower.
The preparatory works for the construction of a fortress in Narni and along the Flaminia road started in 1367. In 1371 the first castellan was already took over: Pietro di Novico. Among the architects that worked for this project, we can find Ugolino di Montemarte and Matteo Gattapone. The works finished in 1378, the fortress was completed and impressive: on the door there is the union of four heralding bearings, probably those of the Popes Gregorio XI and Urbano V and those of the cardinals Angelico Grimonard e Filippo d'Alençon.
In 1405 there is the first citation of the Bastion (Bastiglia, bastigia): it is another fort of which now remains the basis of a cistern but that probably it has also the sight tower. The fortress is a four sided building with four towers at the corners, called: Tower of Saint Bernardo (North-east), Saint Filippo (South-east), Saint Giacomo (south-west) and the Mastio higher and potent which is made by the union of two towers (north-west). It was surrounded by a moat and with a double boundary walls, inside there is a large courtyard with a cistern in travertine and a chapel. After the original function, the Rocca was used in order to defence the town from the external boredom.
In 1484 Sisto IV ordered a new fortification’s intervention finished by Innocenzo the 8th. The castle was attached with an outpost built in the Arvolte village near the hospital built by 5 rounded towers. This element was linked directly to the underground way with the Rocca, which it was linked with the same underground system with Priori Square.
For information: Via Feronia, tel. 0744/7471
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