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Student Sourcebook 2007
International School of
Painting, Drawing, and Sculpture in Umbria, Italy
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Todi, a chic and beautiful medieval hilltown with a magnificent central piazza surrounded by Gothic towers, is 15 minutes from Montecastello by car.
Church of Santa Maria della Consolazione, just outside the city, may have been designed by Bramante or Antonio da Sangallo: it's a beautiful renaissance construction of the 16C based on a sphere and a cube.
Convento di Montesanto, in the oldest part of Todi. There is an ancient linden tree that was planted (some say) in the 14C by San Bernardino. St. Jacopone, the medieval poet was born in Todi. The Etruscan bronze Mars of Todi, now in the Vatican Museum, was found there.
Church of San Fortunato, on the highest part of Todi, has a small fresco by Masolino. But much more interesting are the relief sculptures around the main doorway: Jacopo della Quercia worked here. Built in the 13-15C.
Etruscan arch - The center of the city was first built by the Umbrians, then Etruscans, then Romans, and later expanded in the medieval and Gothic periods.
Piazza del Popolo (Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II) - One of the most perfect medieval piazzas in Italy, built 1213. Originally, like many piazzas in Italy, it was the Roman forum.
For a preview of Todi, see "The Agony and the Ecstasy" starring Charlton Heston and Rex Harrison, 1965. The Rome shots are actually shot in Todi. Todi has many good restaurants (try the tagliatelle al tartufo at Ristorante Umbria in the piazza, tel. 075 8942737, or Sunday brunch by the pool at the Fattoria di Vibio in Doglio, tel. 075 8749607, or fresh fish at Ristorante Sebeto, tel. 075 8944400, or the homemade pasta al forno and local meat at Trattoria Pisello on the road to Orvieto, tel. 0744 958242, to name just a few). There is a theatre, an abstract art gallery (Extra Moenia Arte Contemporanea, Piazza Garibaldi Tel. 075 8944867), and many antique shops and food stores. At the Saturday morning market just outside of town, merchants sell clothes, shoes, housewares and produce. At Lo Studiolo bookstore, near the Etruscan arch, you can buy art books and antiques. Up the street is Pianegiani's, with some of the best gelato in Umbria (if you don't believe us, try the all others and see). The Todi Arte Festival, July 12-27 brings together musicians and artists from all over the world. And don't miss the Italian International Hot Air Balloon Grand Prix – 13 – 27 July.
For the ultimate people-watching experience, sit outside the Gran Caffè Duomo in the piazza. All important business takes place in the piazza. Men stroll around together in clumps, flicking cigarettes, adjusting their sleeves and sunglasses, discussing sports and politics, and talking on "telefonini". Boys in cars and mopeds cruise by slowly, stopping in the middle of the street to flirt with girls or chat.
The Tourist Office - Mon-Sat, 9-13 and 16-18.30, tel. 075 8943456 or 075 8942526, under the great stairs in the piazza, has information on public transportation, and on Todi and Umbria, and has metered telephones.
Bank Hours are 8.30-13.20, and 14.30-15.30. Mon - Fri. ATM (Bancomat): 24 hours.
Post Office in Piazza Garibaldi is open 8.10-13.25.
Internet Point, across the street from San Fortunato in Piazza Umberto 1, is open 9.30-13, 16-19.30 and all day Saturday and Sunday. Connection cost is € 1.55 for 15 minutes.
Cocoon Travels - Centro Commerciale Il Quadrifoglio, Località Ponterio. Mon-Fri 9-13, 15.30-20, Sat. 9-13, 16-19. Tel. 075 8987364, Fax 075 8987366
The capital of Umbria, a lively city, full of students, including from the University for Foreigners. At 5 PM is the passeggiata: everyone in town strolls up and down the Corso, looking good.
Arco Etrusco - Etruscan gate of the city (2-1C BC).
Cappella di San Severo - Piazza Raffaello 13. 10.30-13.30, 14.30-18.30 A fresco by Raphael. € 2.50
Collegio del Cambio - Corso Vannucci, 25. 9-12.30, 14.30-17.30 tel. 075 5728599. Perugino's frescoed room. € 2.60
Fontana Maggiore - (1275) central fountain by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano.
Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria - Palazzo dei Priori, Corso Vannucci, 19. Tues-Sun 8.30-19.30 tel. 075 5721009. Duccio, Perugino, Fra Angelico, Piero della Francesca, Arnolfo di Cambio, Agostino di Duccio, the Master of St. Francis, Gentile di Fabriano, Orazio Gentileschi, Pietro di Cortona. € 6.50
Ipogeo dei Volumni - 6 km southeast of Perugia, Ponte San Giovanni. 9:30-13, 15.30-18.30, tel 075 393329. Large Etruscan tomb site, detailed sarcophagi. The highway was built right through it. € 2.
Museo Archeologico Nazionale dell'Umbria - National Archeological Museum of Umbria - ex Convento di S. Domenico, Piazza G. Bruno, 10 (crosses Corso Cavour). Tel. 075 5727141. 8.30-19.30. Large prehistoric section, Etruscan and Roman section: cinerary urns, bronzes, Greek vases, bucchero (black pottery). € 4.
Rocca Paolina - built by A. de Sangallo (1540). Subterranean streets, remains of medieval quarter. An escalator goes through it to the center.
Sant'Angelo - 5-6C early Christian church. 14C Gothic portal, 15C frescoes. 16 columns with Roman capitals.
San Bernardino - Piazza San Francesco. Polychrome relief facade by Agostino di Duccio (1457).
San Pietro - Borgo XX Giugno. 10C, below is a small early Christian church. Sacristy, 4 small Peruginos; presbytery, inlaid wooden choir (1525).
The Collection of Greek, Etruscan and Roman Sculpture Plaster Casts - Dipartimento di Scienze Storiche dell'Antichità, via dell'Aquilone, 7. tel. 075 5853807 9-13. Open on request, closed Sat, Sun.
Umbria Jazz - Via Mazzini, 9. Tel. 800 462311, 075 5728685. July11-20. Tickets for the concerts of Sonny Rollins and R.E.M. are already on sale...
Pintoricchio, Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria
Palazzo dei Priori,
Corso Vannucci, 19. 9.30-20
till June 29, 2008 € 10,00
Da Corot a Picasso - Da Fattori a De Pisis, Perugia, Palazzo Baldeschi al Corso
Dal 15 settembre 2008 al 15 gennaio 2009
Birthplace of St. Francis. Here you will meet Giotto and Cimabue face to face.
Archaeological Museum - via Portica. tel. 075 813053. 10-13, 14.30-19. An interesting walk under the piazza, through the town's original Roman forum. Roman, Etruscan sculpture, fragments.
Basilica di San Francesco - (1253) Proper dress is required to enter San Francesco. Possibly the greatest and most important collection of early renaissance paintings in the world.
Duomo - Piazza San Rufino. Romanesque facade, crypt with Roman sarcophagus, columns.
Pinacoteca Comunale - Via San Francesco - Tel. 075812033. 10-13, 14.30-19. Giotto, Puccio Capanna.
Santa Chiara - (1257) St. Clair's church; the crucifix that spoke to St. Francis; a powerful cult church experience.
Temple of Minerva - a Roman temple (now a church, only the facade remains) that inspired Goethe (Italian Journey) to walk all the way from Perugia to see it.
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Student Sourcebook 2007
International School of Painting, Drawing,
and Sculpture in Umbria, Italy
There are so many things to see in Umbria. These are some of our favorites:
AMELIA - Some of the oldest fortification walls in Italy: vast, polygonal blocks up to 20 meters high, joined without mortar (1134 BC).
AVIGLIANO UMBRO - DUNAROBBA - Foresta Fossile, remains of a petrified forest of giant sequoias, more than a million years old. 10-13, 15.30-18.30, € 5
BEVAGNA - The Roman Mosaic Museum of Antiquities - via di Porta Guelfa. Tel. 075 5727141 open on request, free.
CARSULAE - The ruins of a 1C Roman city, the largest Roman site in Umbria, exit E 45: Sangemini, on the original via Flaminia. 8.30-19.30 € 4
CASCATA DELLE MARMORE - a Roman-built waterfall (271 BC), and quite a sight; a Corot motif. They turn it on at various hours: weekdays (June-Aug) 11-13, 16-18, 21-22; Sat-Sun 10-13, 15-22. € 5 includes parking.
DERUTA - Since the 13C world-famous for ceramics.
FERENTILLO - Rock-climbing capital
FONTI DI CLITUNNO - Springs visited by Virgil, Caligula; tiny 5C church.
GUBBIO - Magnificent piazza, spaces, views, 1C Roman theater
LUGNANO IN TEVERINA - Chiesa Collegiata - A tiny Romanesque church, a real jewel. Gorgeous details: columns, capitals, mosaics.
MONTEFALCO - Museo Civico, in the ex-church of San Francesco. Tel. 0742 379598. 10.30-13, 15-19. Life of St. Francis by Benozzo Gozzoli, Perugino Annunciation and Nativity. The town is also known for its excellent wine.
NARNI
- beautifully
situated medieval city,
overlooking the bridge that Corot painted, Rocca
above.
Pinacoteca -
Palazzo Comunale, piazza dei Priori. Tel. 0744 747258. 11-13, 15-19, closed
Mondays, free. Temporary exhibit of detached frescos by Ghirlandaio, Gozzoli,
lo Spagna.
NORCIA - the tartufo source. A Roman town practically in the middle of nowhere. Above, Castelluccio, on an unforgettable plain, famous all over Italy for its lentils.
OTRICOLI - The main structures of a Roman town still visible today.
ORVIETO - beautiful hilltown on a volcanic rock, delicious wine. Medieval center, Etruscan wells.
SPELLO - Augustan-era walls, gates
SPOLETO - Festival of Two Worlds - Arts festival, June 27 - July 13. TicketOne tel. 892.101 or 0743.218613
TORGIANO - Wine Museum and Olive and Oil Museum - Fondazione Lungarotti - Palazzo Graziani-Baglioni, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. 9-13, 15-19. Tel. 075 9880200. € 7. Wine culture; a superb collection of ceramic vessels. Next door, Le Tre Vaselle, 5-star restaurant-hotel.
TREVI - Trevi Flash Art Museum of Contemporary Art, Palazzo Lucarini. Tel. 0742 381818. Tues-Sun 15-19 € 5.
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Student Sourcebook 2007
International School of Painting, Drawing,
and Sculpture in Umbria, Italy
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