Umbria - Assisi and St. Francis
Renowned Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto and other Umbrian events
One of the lesser known things about St. Francis of Assisi is that he was something of a gourmet. His biographers say he never lost his appreciation of good food even after he abandoned his rich man’s clothes for those of a penitent. In this respect he was fortunate to live in Umbria; the region is famous for its highly prized black truffles, suckling pig, game and some of the best olive oil in Italy, and don’t forget Orvieto, its delicious dry white wine, So it is not surprising that native Umbrians take after St. Francis in their enjoyment of good food.
Umbria - Assisi
The most visited place in Umbria is, of course, Assisi where the body of St.Francis lies in the Basilica which also contains a staggering collection of art, famously Giotto’s great frescoes of the life of St. Francis. There are also wonderful works by Cimabue and Simone Martini. It can seem a little strange that this magnificently decorated and ornamented church is dedicated to a man of very simple tastes. But, more than the splendour, what draws visitors is the tomb of Francis in the crypt. This is a sacred place where people from around the world come to pray.
On the 26th of September 1997 an earthquake brought down a large chunk of the Basilica, killing four people and destroying many magnificent frescoes, the most famous being those painted by Giotto and Cimabue. A group of experts (referred to as “the restoring heroes”) were hastily assembled to find fragments of the frescoes among the ruins and reassemble them. About three thousand pieces of the precious works were found and eventually put together again like the pieces of an enormous jigsaw puzzle. During the first terrible days after the earthquake Assisi looked like a town hit by war. But the devotion and hard work of the restorers led to the reopening of the Basilica on Christmas night 1999 and the frescoes look as fresh as the day they were first painted.
During the day, for most of the year, Assisi is packed with visitors, most of whom come in as day trippers with the main purpose of visiting the Basilica, but in the evening it is revealed as a charming medieval hill town. Narrow streets with flower bedecked balconies invite one to explore, maybe stopping at a cafe for a glass of chilled Orvieto and an antipasti plate of prosciutto, salami, liver pate and, with luck, some pungent black truffles (not cheap but worth the splurge just once).
Umbria - Orvieto
Assisi is probably Umbria’s most popular attraction but there are other towns within easy reach that have their own attractions. Orvieto is home to Italy’s finest Gothic cathedral, the Duomo. The facade is truly remarkable - richly decorated with angels, saints, and scenes from the Old and New Testaments in almost scary detail: martyrdoms, plague, madness and strange visitations.
There’s a vast labyrinth of caves in Orvieto, many dating from Etruscan times, with dovecotes and wells that were dug before the 6th c.BC. An interesting but rather strange place. In complete contrast there is the Torre del Moro (Mulberry Tower) where, rather than going underground, one climbs up into the sky. Be prepared - there are 240 steps to the top but it’s worth the effort for the views of the town and countryside.
Orvieto is the best place to buy typical Umbrian ceramics. There are more shops here, selling a greater variety of styles, than most of the other towns we visited.
Special event: Procession of Corpus Christi - 15th June, 2008. A world-renowned parade featuring medieval dances, songs and music.
Umbria - Todi
Todi is worth a visit. Perched high on a hilltop it is a fairy-tale medieval village, the architecture almost totally preserved without restoration. The big attraction is the church of Santa Maria della Consolazione This fine Renaissance building is the first thing you see of Todi as you come off the motorway. The main square, Piazza del Popolo, is surrounded by medieval buildings. A good place to sit at an outdoor cafe and try a local delicacy - pan nociato, bread made of sheep’s cheese, walnuts and sultanas. Delicious!
Special Event: Todi Arte Festival, - 12th – 27th July, 2008. Held in courtyards throughout the city, presenting theatre, music, classical and ethnic dance, and other cultural events.
Umbria - Spoleto
Try to fit Spoleto into your itinerary and make time for a little walking. There’s a lovely circular walkaround the base of the Rocca (fortress) which takes you by the Ponte delle Torri, a wonderful medieval bridge and aqueduct - an extraordinary piece of medieval engineering. It’s worth coming to Spoleto for this alone. And there’s a lst.c.AD Roman theatre - take note of the well preserved marble floor where the orchestra sat. Keep up the walking and explore some of Spoleto’s narrow streets, barely changed over the centuries.
Special Event: Spoleto, in spite of its many other charms, is mostly known for its summer festival, the Festival dei Due Mondi (Festival of Two Worlds). A sort of Italian version of the Edinburgh Fringe, it attracts big crowds. This is Italy’s leading arts festivaland attracts world-class performers as well as lots of film, buskers, etc. 1st July - 31st July, 2008.
Back in Assisi the swallows continue to fill the sky, sweeping and darting everywhere. St. Francis loved birds and there seem to be more in Assisi than anywhere else we visited in Umbria. Maybe they are looking for a latter day St. Francis?
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
