| Comune di Orvieto | |
|---|---|
 Municipal coat of arms |
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| Country |  Italy |
| Region | Umbria |
| Province | Terni (TR) |
| Mayor | Stefano Mocio (since June 13, 2004) |
| Elevation | 325 m (1,066 ft) |
| Area | 281 km² (108 sq mi) |
| Population (as of December 31, 2004) | |
| - Total | 20,841 |
| - Density | 74/km² (192/sq mi) |
| Time zone | CET, UTC+1 |
| Coordinates | |
| Gentilic | Orvietani |
| Dialing code | 0763 |
| Postal code | 05018 |
| Frazioni | Bagni di Orvieto, Bardano, Baschi Scalo, Benano, Biagio, Botto di Orvieto, Canale di Orvieto, Canonica, Capretta, Ciconia, Colonnetta di Prodo, Corbara, Fossatello, Morrano, Orvieto Scalo, Osteria Nuova, Padella, Prodo, Rocca Ripesena, San Faustino, Sferracavallo, Stazione di Castiglione, Sugano, Titignano, Tordimonte, Torre San Severo |
| Patron | St. Joseph |
| - Day | March 19 |
| Website: www.comune.orvieto.tr.it | |
Orvieto is a city in southwestern Umbria, Italy situated on the flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tuff. Umbria is one of the 20 Regions of Italy. The capital is Perugia. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Tuff (from the Italian "tufo" is a type of rock consisting of consolidated volcanic ash ejected from vents during a volcanic eruption The site of the city is among the most dramatic in Europe, rising above the almost-vertical faces of tuff cliffs that are completed by defensive walls built of the same stone.
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History
The Etruscans
The ancient city (urbs vetus in Latin, whence "Orvieto"), populated since Etruscan times, has usually been associated with Etruscan Velzna, but some modern scholars differ. Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to the culture and way of life of a people of ancient Italy Volsinii or Vulsinii ( Etruscan: Velzna or Velusna; Greek:, Strabo v Orvieto was certainly a major centre of Etruscan civilization; the Archaeological Museum (Museo Claudio Faina e Museo Civico) houses some of the Etruscan artifacts that have been recovered in the immediate neighbourhood. Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to the culture and way of life of a people of ancient Italy An interesting survival that might show the complexity of ethnic relations in ancient Italy and how such relations could be peaceful, is the inscription on a tomb in the Orvieto Cannicella necropolis: mi aviles katacinas, "I am of Avile Katacina", with an Etruscan-Latin first name (Aulus) and a family name that is believed to be of Celtic ("Catacos") origin. A necropolis (plural necropoleis or necropoles) is a large Cemetery or burial place (from Greek nekropolis "city of the dead"
The Romans
Orvieto was annexed by Rome in the third century BC. After the collapse of the Roman Empire its defensible site gained new importance: the episcopal see was transferred from Bolsena, and the city was held by Goths and by Lombards before its self-governing commune was established in the 10th century, in which consuls governed under a feudal oath of fealty to the bishop. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Bolsena is a town and Comune of Italy, in the Province of Viterbo in northern Lazio on the eastern shore of Lake Bolsena. The Goths ( Gothic: Gothic usvg|14px|u]]Gothic asvg|14px|a]]Gothic s The Lombards ( Latin Langobardi, whence the alternative names Langobards and Longobards) were a Germanic people originally from Communes in Europe in the Middle Ages were sworn allegiances of mutual defense (both physical defense and of traditional freedoms among community members of a town or city Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed Orvieto's relationship to the papacy has been a close one; in the tenth century Pope Benedict VII visited the city of Orvieto with his nephew, Filippo Alberici, who later settled there and became Consul of the city-state in 1016. Benedict VII (born in Rome, the son of David and previously Bishop of Sutri; died July 10, 983) belonged to the noble family Consul (abbrev cos; Latin plural consules) was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire
Medieval Orvieto
From 1201 Orvieto governed itself through a podestà— who was as often as not the bishop, however, acting in concert with a military governor, the "captain of the people", but bitter feuds divided the thirteenth-century city. For information on the phantom island of the same name see Podesta (island.
Some of the families traditionally associated with major roles in Orvieto’s history are: Monaldeschi, Filippeschi, Alberici and Gualterio, of whom only the Alberici and the Gualterio have survived to the present day. The Monaldeschi were one of the powerful noble families of Orvieto, members of the Guelf party who contested with murders and violence the Ghibelline The city became one of the major cultural attractions of its time when Thomas Aquinas taught at the Studium. A small university (now part of the University of Perugia), had its origins in a studium generale that was granted to the city by Pope Gregory XI in 1736
Papal territory
The territory of Orvieto was under papal control long before it was officially added to the Papal States (various dates are quoted); it remained a papal possession until 1860. University of Perugia ( Italian Università degli Studi di Perugia) is a public-owned university based in Perugia, Italy. This article is about Western European institutions See also Medieval university (Asia and Byzantine university Medieval university See also Vicedomino de Vicedominis, a pope-elect who took the name Gregory XI. The Papal States, State(s of the Church or Pontifical States (in Italian Stato Ecclesiastico, Stato della Chiesa, Stati della Chiesa
Main sights
The Duomo
Orvieto is noted for its Gothic cathedral, or duomo. The Duomo di Orvieto is a large 14th century Roman Catholic Cathedral situated in the town of Orvieto in Umbria, central Italy. The church is striped in white travertine and greenish-black basalt in narrow bands; its design has often been attributed to Arnolfo di Cambio, but the prevailing modern opinion is that its master mason was an obscure monk named Fra' Bevignate from Perugia; construction began in 1290. Travertine is a Sedimentary rock. It is a natural chemical precipitate of Carbonate minerals; typically Aragonite, but often recrystallized to Basalt (bəˈsɔːlt ˈbeisɔːlt ˈbæsɔːlt is a common Extrusive Volcanic rock. Arnolfo di Cambio (c 1240 &ndash 1300/1310 was an Italian Architect and sculptor. The façade (illustration, right) is particularly striking and includes some remarkable sculpture by Lorenzo Maitani (14th century). Lorenzo Maitani (1255 - 1330 was the Italian Architect and sculptor primarily responsible for the construction and decoration of the façade of Orvieto Cathedral Inside the cathedral, the Chapel of San Brizio is frescoed by Fra Angelico and with Luca Signorelli's masterpiece, his Last Judgment (1449-51). Fra Angelico (c 1395 &ndash February 18 1455) born Guido di Pietro, was an Early Italian Renaissance painter referred to in Vasari Luca Signorelli (c 1445 - October 16, 1523) was an Italian Renaissance painter who was noted in particular for his ability as a draughtsman In Christian eschatology, the Last Judgment or Day of the Lord is the judgment by God of every human who ever lived On the left side of this chapel are the tombs of the Gualterio family.
The Miracle and Corporal of Bolsena
main article: Corporal of Bolsena
Papal residence
Orvieto has long been in papal territory. The Corporal of Bolsena dates from a Eucharistic miracle in Bolsena, Italy in 1263 when a consecrated host began to The Papal States, State(s of the Church or Pontifical States (in Italian Stato Ecclesiastico, Stato della Chiesa, Stati della Chiesa Pope Boniface VIII was from Orvieto and donated statues of himself at the main city gates, which earned him some criticism from his many enemies. Pope Boniface VIII (c 1235 &ndash October 11, 1303) born Benedetto Caetani, was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1294
During the sack of Rome in 1527 by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, Pope Clement VII took refuge at Orvieto. The Sack of Rome on 6 May 1527, carried out by the mutinous troops of Charles V Holy Roman Emperor, marked a crucial imperial victory in Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was For the Antipope (1378&ndash1394 see Antipope Clement VII. Pope Clement VII ( May 26, 1478 &ndash September Fearing that in the event of siege by Charles' troops the city's water might prove insufficient, he had a spectacular well (the Pozzo di S. Patrizio or "Well of St. Patrick", so called because this Italian expression, inspired by medieval legends that St. Patrick's Purgatory in Ireland gave access down to Purgatory, is used to indicate something very deep) constructed by the architect-engineer Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. For the mediaeval account of the Knight Owein's visit to Lough Derg see Legend of the Purgatory of St See also Intermediate state Limbo|Heaven|Sheol|Hades in Christianity|Hell in Christianity Purgatory, in the original sense is the condition or process of purification Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, born Antonio Cordiani ( April 12, 1484 - August 3, 1546) was an Italian architect active The central well shaft was surrounded by ramps in a double helix. In Geometry a double helix (plural helices) typically consists of two congruent helices with the same axis differing by a translation These ramps were each designed for one-way traffic, so that mules laden with water-jars might pass down then up again unobstructed. In its common modern meaning a mule is the offspring of a male Donkey and a female Horse, which is classified as a kind of F1 hybrid. An inscription on the well boasts that QUOD NATURA MUNIMENTO INVIDERAT INDUSTRIA ADIECIT ("what nature stinted for provision, application has supplied").
Etruscan ruins
Orvieto is also home to Etruscan ruins and the remnants of a wall that enclosed the city more than 2000 years ago. At the foot of the butte, surrounded by peach and apple trees and a vineyard, the Etruscan necropolis of Crocefisso di Tufo counts a hundred or so chamber tombs laid along a rectangular street grid.
Underground city
The city of Orvieto has long kept the secret of its labyrinth of caves and tunnels that lie beneath the surface. In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth ( Greek λαβύρινθος labyrinthos) was an elaborate structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Dug deep into the tuff, a volcanic rock, these hidden and secret tunnels are only now open to view through guided tours. Their spectacular nature has also yielded many historical and archeological finds.
The underground city boasts tunnels, galleries, wells, stairs, quarries, cellars, unexpected passageways, cisterns, superimposed rooms with numerous small square niches, detailing its creation over the centuries. Many of the homes of noble families were equipped with a means of escape from the elevated city during times of siege through secret escape tunnels carved from the soft rock. The tunnels would lead from the city palazzo to emerge at a safe exit point some distance away from city walls.
Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo
Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo is a simple building that still maintains an impressive grandeur. Work on the construction of the palazzo began in the 13th century on an area that had been occupied since 1157 by the Papal Palace built under the reign of Pope Hadrian IV. Pope Adrian IV (or Hadrian IV – c 1100&ndash 1 September, 1159) born Nicholas Breakspear or Breakspeare, was Pope
The original Palazzo del Capitano was a single ground floor loggia that was used as a market place or for meetings, from which the magistrate would speak to the citizens. This was where the surrounding lords or representatives of vanquished cities came to pay their allegiance to Orvieto.
The structure was enlarged within ten years of it having been completed and in 1315 the bell tower was added and in the subsequent year a great bell was hung there. The upper part of the structure was covered in 1472 and the large hall divided into two rooms, one large and the other small. The larger of the two occupied an area that corresponds approximately to the room known today as the Sala dei Quattrocento. Subsequently, the building functioned as a residence for the Capitano del Popolo, the Podestà and the Signori Sette.
From 1596 one of the lower section rooms housed the Studium, which had been re-instituted a few years earlier by Lorenzo Magalotti. Students of law, theology and logic came here to study twice a day, each time the bell of Palazzo del Popolo rung, until 1651. Few records exist of this ancient university appear after this date. Some sources indicate that it dates back to 1013 and had connections with names such as the Benedictine monks Graziano and Gozio of Orvieto.
The Albornoz Fortress
In Piazza Cahen stands the Fortezza dell'Albornoz. It was built by order of the Spanish Cardinal Albornoz under orders from Pope Innocent VI and designed by condottiero and military engineer Ugolino di Montemarte. Gil Álvarez Carrillo de Albornoz ( Italian: Egidio Albornoz; 1310 - August 23 1367) was a Spanish cardinal and Pope Innocent VI (1282 or 1295 &ndash September 12, 1362) born Étienne Aubert, Pope at Avignon from 1352 to 1362 the successor The Albornoz fortress stands on an area that was once occupied by a temple, known by the Etruscan name of Augurale.
Originally known as the Rocca di San Martino, construction on this massive fortress started either in 1359 or 1353 near the town’s cemetery. Its aim was to allow the Church a secure site in the city and allowing the Cardinal and his captains to consolidate their recent military victories.
The original square plan of the fortress was flanked by a small building near the main entrance and surrounded by a moat, which was only accessible by the drawbridge. However, the Rocca was almost completely razed to the ground in 1395 and successive attempts to rebuild it were unsuccessful. The fortress was finally rebuilt during the mid-15th century using original plans and an additional circular line of fortifications.
After the Sack of Rome at the end of 1527 Pope Clement VII took refuge in Orvieto. For the Antipope (1378&ndash1394 see Antipope Clement VII. Pope Clement VII ( May 26, 1478 &ndash September To ensure that the city would be sufficiently supplied with water in the event of a siege, he gave orders for the digging of the now famous artesian well Pozzo di San Patrizio (1528-1537). For added security, the pope ordered that a second well be dug to supply the fortress alone.
Economy
The white wine of the Orvieto district, to the northeast of the city, is highly prized; red wines are also grown. Orvieto is an Italian wine region located in Umbria and Lazio, centered around the commune of Orvieto. Wine is an Alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of Grape juice Wine is an Alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of Grape juice
Orvieto is a member of Cittaslow, the slow town movement
Twin cities
Givors, France
Maebashi, Japan
Bethlehem, Palestine
Aiken, United States
Seinäjoki, Finland
Kercem, Malta
Image gallery
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 Panorama of Orvieto |
 Blocks of warm tuff and tile roofs give Orvieto its characterful tonality |
 The Belvedere Temple is one of the few Etruscan ruins still visible in the city. |
 Orvieto from the South-West |
External links
- Official Site
- OrvietoOnline.com
- Umbria Travel:Orvieto
- Orvieto - its History and Art
- Orvieto (Thayer's Gazetteer of Umbria)
- Duomo of Orvieto (InItaly. Com)
- (Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici dell' Umbria) National Archaeological Museum of Orvieto. Located in the Palazzo Papale.
- Orvieto Underground
- Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo
Photo galleries
- Recent photos from the site Visit-Orvieto. info.
- Photos of Orvieto.
- Another gallery of Orvieto.
- Photo gallery of Orvieto with one of the very few frontal pictures of the facade of the Duomo.
- Orvieto Photos.
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