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Citta' di CastelloAmong the gentle green hills of Upper Tiber Valley, revealing luminous landscapes and an intensely cultivated countryside, lies Città di Castello. In ancient times known as "Tifernum Tiberinum", the village got the current name becoming a Roman municipium at the beginning of the II century. In the XIII century imposing boundary walls surrounded the village, dividing it into four quarters: St Maria, St Giacomo, St Florido and St Egidio. Between the XV and XVI centuries, Città di Castello was dominated by the seigniory of the Vitelli, that left a very important heritage in terms of urban furnishings. Città di Castello has not significantly changed from the beginning of Cinquecento, and this integrity has allowed this small town to preserve intact architectural and pictorial oeuvres of extraordinary beauty... this is the reason why it is worth a visit, indeed! Let's start from Piazza Matteotti: the Baroque mark of the buildings around has changed the original medieval structure. Palazzo del Podestà overlooks the piazza, keeping the fourteenth-century stone-buinding structure on the side facing Corso Cavour, while the façade dates back to 1686. Palazzo Vitelli "in piazza" (the umpteenth monument left by the noble family) stands just in front of it. Walking along the old town centre, you will get into Palazzo dei Priori, current town hall, unfinished work of art by Angelo da Orvieto. The gothic building (1322-53), shows an ashlar work exterior, adorned by a refined portal and beautiful twin lancet windows. The "Torre Comunale" (municipal tower) decorated with coats of arms faces the Palazzo. The tower is open to visits every day except of Monday, 10 am – 1 pm and 3.30 pm – 5.30 pm. You will be fascinated by the marvellous dome, built over a pre-existing Romanesque church, as the bell-tower witnesses. The dome is dedicated to the saints Florido and Amanzio, and was totally restored during the Renaissance. The northern façade keeps the signs of several changes: the gothic portal (1339-1359); the fourteenth-century staircase; the unfinished front, which dates back to 1632-1646. Inside the church you will be able to admire a stunning coffered ceiling (XVIII century) and some amazing frescoes made by Pomarancio (1573) and Marco Benefial (1749). The left transept offers the lovely painting by Rosso Fiorentino, representing the Transfiguration, recently brought back to the ancient splendour. Close by the Dome there is the "Capitular Museum" that collects extremely precious works of art, like Tesoro di Canoscio, rare V and VI centuries collection of dishes, pots and Eucharistic stuff. The ‘paliotto’ (antependium) in golden and embossed silver, dates back to the XII century, while the ‘pastoral’ attributed to the Sienese School, dates back to the second half of the XIV century. The picture gallery shows paintings like Madonna col Bambino e San Giovannino, attributed to Pinturicchio. The museum is open to visits: October to March, h 10.30 am – 1 pm; April, June and September, h 10.30 am – 1 pm and 3 pm – 5.30 pm; July and August, h 10 am – 1 pm and 3.30 pm – 6.30 pm. Palazzo Vitelli alla Cannoniera is something unmissable in Città di Castello. Built for want of the family over the ruins of an old cannons’ foundry, in the first half of Cinquecento. Giorgio Vasari made the rich graffito decoration that adorns the façade overlooking the garden. The Palazzo houses the municipal picture gallery (pinacoteca comunale), one of the most important pictorial collection of the whole Umbria region. The most interesting oeuvres will certainly be Maestà (CIV century), by Maestro di Città di Castello; St Sebastiano’s Martyrdom (il martirio di San Sebastiano) (1498 circa), by Luca Signorelli; the Holy Trinity Processional Bulwark, made by Raffaello in 1501 circa; the Virgin’s coronation, by Ghirlandaio. The lovely exhibition includes some earthenware attributed to Giovanni, Andrea and Luca della Robbia, as well as a display cabinet preserving St Andrea’s relics. The Picture gallery is open to visits every day except of Monday, 10 am – 1 pm and 3 pm – 6.30 pm. Have a look at the big aisleless Church of St Domenico, built in 1424. The church has preserved notable Quattrocento frescoes and a ligneous inlaid chorus. The building that housed the Dominican convent, stands just nearby the church and offers a lovely seventeenth-century cloister. The building that faces the church is the ancient Hospital, finished in 1785. Corso Vittorio Emanuele, the long straight stretch that links the gate of St Maria Maggiore with the historical centre, goes to the Renaissance church of St Maria Maggiore: beautiful element of the urban renewal promoted by the Vitelli’s. Along the street you will see some sixteenth-century buildings, like Palazzo Bruni and Palazzo Lignai-Marchesani. At the street number 2, there is Palazzo Facchinetti, with elegant wrought iron balcony over a beautiful Baroque portal. Palazzo Vitelli in Porta St Egidio is the biggest building erected in town for want of the family. Giorgio Vasari designed it with a long façade interrupted by two portals and three series of windows of ashlar work in local stone. Stunning Prospero Fontana’s frescoes are admirable inside the building. Do not miss the Church of St Francesco, built between the XIII and the XIV century (as visible from the portal, the right side and three polygonal apses), but almost totally remade during the eighteenth century. Close by the entrance on the left side, a splendid wrought iron gate, by Pietro di Ercolano (1567), introduces the marvellous Vitelli Chapel. This impressive work of art, made by Giorgio Vasari, preserves 26 inlaid choir stalls representing the lives of the Virgin and St Francesco. A side altar exhibits a copy of Sposalizio della Vergine (1504), the famous altar-piece painted by Raffaello for the conventuals, whose original is shown in "Pinacoteca Milanese" in Brera. The theatre, located close to the church, in Via Fucci, is a little jewel erected for want of the Enlightened people, in 1660. Other towns in the area: Amelia, Assisi, Bevagna, Cascia, Castiglione del Lago, Citta della Pieve, Collazzone, Collepepe, Deruta, Fabro, Fabro Scalo, Gualdo Cattaneo, Gubbio, Lippiano, Massa Martana, Monte Santa Maria Tiberina , Montefalco, Montegabbione, Montone, Morra, Narni, Norcia, Orvieto, Perugia, San Gemini, Spello, Spoleto, Terni, Todi, TreviYou might also be interested in reading about the following Citta' di Castello topics:
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