This isn't about VENICE!

There is very little (or nothing) on this page about how the topic relates to Venice. Please help make it relevant to Venipedia.

---

Cordero Marrero cordero@wpi.edu

Contents 1 Luogo, luogo, luogo! (location, location, location) 2 History 3 Art and Architecture 4 References

Luogo, luogo, luogo! (location, location, location)

Castello is a city located in the province of Perugia in the northern part of Umbria, a region in the center of Italy. It is situated in the Upper Tiber Valley and stretches well beyond the Apennines, the upper flood plain of the Tiber river. The "Citta di Castello" can be easily reached from the A1 Rome-Florence highway by the SS 73 from Arezzo.

History

The city was originally an ancient centre of Umbria in the Upper Tiber Valley. Near the end of the 1st century the Romans took the city making it a rich and flourishing municipium that would then be named Tifernum Tiberinum ("Tifernum on the Tiber"). A patron known as Pliny the Younger gave this city rich temples and public buildings that are now identified by walls, mosaic floors, and marble ruins in a place now known as Colle Plinio.

In 550, Fantalogus leads a campaign by rule of Totila of the Goths and takes the city. It is later then rebuilt and foritfied by bishop Floridus. He rebuilt the city around a castle and named it first Castrum Felicitatis then renamed it Civitas Castelli. In 752, Pepin the Short makes a Donation making the pope a temporary ruler of this among many other strips of territory and bringing the Holy See. It was still disputed over by the papacy for a while until it was settled that the family of Vitelli would have possession of the city despite the fact that it was still strongly attached to the Holy See by Cesare Borgia.

For the following years it spread it's territory far beyond the Apennines under various rulers. The name was changed first to Castrum Felicitatis and later to Civitas Castelli, whence Città di Castello. In the Middle Ages the Guelphs and Ghibellines govern the city supporting the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire. The Città di Castello then joins the States of the Curch or the Papal States 1375. After Robert of Geneva's failed attempt on the city, Braccio da Montone successfully takes the city under rule of pope Martin V in 1420. With help of Florence and Milan, Nicolò Vitelli later become tiranno totale or absolute ruler.

In an attempt to take the city peacefully, 1474 Sixtus IV sent his nephew, Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere, to negotiate. After seeing the inefficiency in this plan he decided to take the city by means of force. Vitelli put up a persistent defense until he caught word that Duke Federico III da Montefeltro, a successful mercenary leader, had taken command of the attacking army. Vitelli tried the following year to reclaim the city, but out of fear of Cesare Borgia alone he quickly retreats. Cesare Borgia sees this as an opportunity to send the family a "strong message". He then has the patriarch of the Vitelli family strangled to death and has the Città di Castello become a papal possession once again. The city remained a papal possession until 1860, when it was liberated by the Piedmontese army. It was then proclaimed as an annex to Italy and remained so to present day.

Art and Architecture

The Città di Castello is home for numerous great works of art and architecture. It can be said that "the breath of art" can be felt here. Such can be found in the surrounding 16th century walls and Medieval and Renaissance style buildings. Such buildings include the Palazzo del Podestà, a palace attributed to Angelo da Orvieto. Originally of mostly Gothic architecture it now has Baroque style side that fronts the square on the building from a 17th century remodeling.

Another notable building is the Palazzo Camunale. This Gothic style building was started in the 14th century by Angelo da Orvieto. The buildings conclusion was prevented due to a political disorder and remains unfinished. Nearby the Cathedral which was dedicated to Saints Florido and Amanzio. It was built around the 11th century, expanded in 1365, completely rebuilt in the 15th century. It's lower portion has Baroque forms from 1632, an upper portion from the Renaissance period, and a bell tower from the 13th century.

One can find the various great works of art from various renowned artists. In the Oratory of San Crescentino in Morra stupendous frescoes by Luca Signorelli can be seen. This city has a museum that memorializes the artist and sculptor, Alberto Burri. This museum, "Fondazione Palazzo Albizzini Collezione Burri" houses a large collection of his works. Works from this artist can also be found in the Palazzo Albizzini and the Ex Seccatoi del Tabacco (former tobacco drying sheds).

There are plenty of rich collections of art found in the museums in Castello. Some notable visits would include the Municipal Gallery and National Gallery of Umbria in Perugia, the two richest picture galleries in Umbria; the Cathedral Museum which resides right next to the Cathedral and holds sacred art objects; the Museo del Duomo which is famous for Canoscio hoard, an antique set of plates and silver spoons; and the Capitolo Museum, featuring an embossed silver altar-frontal and a crosier in Tuscan style from the 14th century. Another notable visit is the Center for the Documentation of Popular Traditions, being the first museum in Italy to house a collection of objects from rural life.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citt%C3%A0_di_Castello

http://www.argoweb.it/citta_di_castello/castello.uk.html

http://www.tuscanyrealestate.co.uk/Umbria-Guide/Citta-di-Castello/citta-di-castello.html

--Cordero Marrero 07:05, 17 August 2008 (UTC)