The best country in Upper Tiber Valley

One day in Città di Castello

Città di Castello is situated on an light height, between the sweet green and laughing hills, are the more important center and populate of the Upper Tiber Valley. It has a precious historical, religious and artistic patrimony, today is considered one city meaningful for the suggestively of the ancients monuments and for the quality of the numerous manifestations that, of national capacity, recall every year much of visitors. Likeable folkloristic and musical moments, interesting handicraft and agricultural exposures, glad festivities of the same country and important sport events, animate periodically and characterize in lively way the life of this town.

At 9.00 a.m. we go to visit the Church of S.Francesco in the historical centre of the town.

The church has been constructed on the beginnings of the XIV° century, in Gothic style and to Latin cross to a single one is "navata" and finishes with an "abside" to three nails head. The inside came completely transformed in Baroque shape between 1707 and 1727, put into effect it them income laughed them to 1731 when the ancient Gothic portal came closed in order to construct to the inside an altar. On the altar dedicated to Saint Giuseppe, in the frame where today there is a copy of "Sposalizio della Vergine" by Raffaello, it was placed originates it them of Raffaello painted in 1504 conserved from 1805 to Milan in the Pinacoteca di Brera. In the church also conserved "L'adorazione dei Pastori", painted from Luca Signorelli in 1496, today to the National Gallery of London. In bottom to the church, a great stone arc closed from an gate in wrought iron of 1567, introduces to the strict and spacious "Cappella Vitelli". It was constructed on design of Giorgio Vasari around to 1563. In the same year, Vasari executes 'L'incoronazione della Vergine' placed two years after in the greater altar of the "Cappella". Around to the walls a chorus with inlays finds itself and designs realize on designs of Raffaello.

At 10.00 a.m. we go to visit the Church of S.Domenico, near to the small public square of "San Giovanni in Campo". It came constructed for wanting of the Dominican order, in the place where borned one church of modest dimensions, between 1399 and 1424. In the church two important were found in past tables, 'Il Martirio di S. Sebastiano' of Luca Signorelli, (today in the premises Communal Pinacoteca), and the 'Crocefissione' of Raffaello hour conserved to the National Gallery of London. The altar greater conserve the urn with the body of "Beata Margherita" (1287-l320), beatified on 18 November 1609, the body was placed on the 30 April 1678 and in that occasion it came renewed the altar from Nicola Barbioni.

At.11.00 a.m. we go to visit the Museum of Dome. Recently restructures in the premises it restructures adjacent to the Cathedral, the Museum modulare (of the Dome) conserve precious testimonies of sacred art of the several ages of the Christianity, between which they detach the Treasure of Canoscio, rare collection of plates, goes "eucaristici" objects that go back to the V-vi° century, the silver Altar frontal hurled, cesellato and in golden part of the XII° century, the Pastorale of silver, gold and enamels of the XIV° century, a "Madonna with the Child" of Pinturicchio, the "Christ in Gloria" di Rosso Fiorentino, two small works attributed to Roman Giulio, other precious objects of orifice, beyond to painted works and sculptures.

At.12.30 p.m. we have lunch in the Restaurant "Il Fiorentino", at 500 m. by the Dome.

At. 14.30 p.m. we go to visit The Cathedral and Civic Tower. The Dome, constructed in "Rinascimento" full load, between 1494 and 1529 introduces a façade uncompleted. The Church has Latin cross shape to an only one "navata" with lateral nails head. To the right of the baptistry the nail head of Saint Paul is met who accommodates 'the fall of the Saint on the fresh way of late Damascus' in ' the 500 from said Niccolò Circignani (the Pomarancio). The "Affresco" centres them of presbiterio (1747-49) represents Saint Florido that bless the of reconstruction of city after the incursion of "Goti". On the cruise close to the door of the "sacrestia", one small perron leads to Cripta or Inferior Dome, where the mortal S. Florido rests, rest them S. Amanzio. The altar in its shape puts into effect them, was constructed in 1793, after the earthquake of 1789. On the flank of the Basilica, towards Gabriotti Public square 'of under', where you can see the Gothic "Portale" dated 1339-59. Near the Cathedral, there is The Civic Tower; it has been constructed between the XIII and XIV the century. For external proceeds of the tower Luca Signorelli in 1474 it painted the "Affresco" representing a 'Madonna with child between Saint Paul and San Girolamo', some fragments of which are conserved in the Communal Pinacoteca of the city. The "Affresco" replaced that one representing the 'Rebels of Native land' (1385), work of Bartolemeo di Bindo and Brunone di Giuntino. In the 1397 the first public clock was placed.

At.16.30 p.m. we go to visit the Burri Collection; it's borned in 1978 through successive donations of the artist to the Foundation exposed Albizzini Palace and today in the two centers of Albizzini palace and of the former ones "seccatoi of the tobacco". To Albizzini palace is placed the production of the artist from 1948 to 1989, the collection comprises approximately 130 pieces. The complex of the former ones "seccatoi of the tobacco", completes the collection of Albizzini palace with the exposure of the cycles of great format realizes from Burri between 1979 and 1993 to you. The great pavilions, completions painted of black for want same Burri, contain 128 works.

At. 18.00 p.m. we do the last visit; we go to visit the Communal Pinacoteca. Second for importance in Umbria, the Communal Pinacoteca, finds accommodation in puts into effect them center when in the 1912 Elia Volpi, painter of Città di Castello, restorer of international reputation, made gift to the Town hall of the '500 "Palazzo Vitelli alla Cannoniera". In the twenty one rooms, there are exposed them works executed from 1300 until the century slid with examples of Raffaello ('Stendardo della SS. Tirnità" 1503 approximately, former ballot for the plague), Luca Signorelli ('Martyrdom of S.Sebastiano '1497-98), Domenico Ghirlandaio, Andrea Della Robbia, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Antonio Vivarini, Raffaellino of the hill, Pomarancio.