Info Urbino Town
Urbino is a walled city in the Marche region (in the centre of Italy, near the Adriatic sea), a World Heritage Site, a town of 15.000 inhabitants that hosts the University of Urbino, founded in 1506.
ART AND CULTURE
“Those who come to Urbino without knowing its history and its importance find themselves before an extraordinary surprise, or, indie, a miracle. In the midst of the spectacle of the spectacle of the hills along which the access roads run, an enchanted palace, left untouched by the passing of time, appears suddenly. It is a leap back in time, a dive into the purity and freedom of the soul.”
The palace described by Carlo Bo is that of Federico da Montefeltro, the lord of the city during the Renaissance. Thanks to his find refined cultural nackgruond, Federico da Montefeltro knew how to concentrate in this space the best that Italian Humanism had to offer during the Renaissance. In his effort to make his home the dwelling place of the Muses he called to his court the greatest men and artists of his times: Piero della Francesca, Luciano Laurana, Leon Battista Alberti and Francesco di Giorgio Martini, to name but a few.
In this cradle of culture, greats artists such as Raphael and Bramante took their first steps. After the great season of the Renaissance, the city experienced a period of new splendor at the beginning of the 18th century when Clement XI, son if the aristocratic Albany family, ascended to the papal throne. The enlightened patronage of The Albany family led to the construction of civil and religious buildings and contributed to changing the face of the city. Last but not least, the University, which was greatly extended during the second half of the 19th century, unfolded the urban fabric to modern architectural renovations.
MUSEUMS
The city’s most important museum is the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche.
It is housed in the Ducal Palace and it preserves works of art ranging from the 14th to the 17th century. However, the gallery can above all boast the presence of some of the most significant masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance, among which the “Città ideale” (the ideal city), the “Flagellazione”, (the flagellation) by Piero della Francesca, the “Profanazione dell’Ostia” (Profanation of the Host) by Paolo Uccello and the “Muta” (Portrait of a Gentlewoman) by Raphael, as well as the works of Titian, Luca Signorelli, and Federico Barocci. The palace’s decorations and ornaments are also of great value, particularly the portals and the fireplaces and above all, the inlaid decorations of the doors, which reach their climax in the study, the highest and ideal synthesis of art and culture. A large collection of ceramics is exhibited on the next floor. The Ducal Palace is also home to the Museo Archeologico, a collection, of ancient Roman inscriptions, urns, memorial stones, etc.
A vast collection of religious works of art is exhibited in the Museo Diocesano “Albani”, where ancient paintings can be admired alongside jewellery masterpieces, porcelains, vestments and illuminated manuscripts.
Besides revealing the fascinating structure of a private home in the Renaissance, the House of Raphael also preserves a fresco attributed ti the great painter and a beautiful Annunciation painted by his father, Giovanni Santi. There are also many tributes dedicated to the painter, most of which date back to the 19th century. Other specialist museums, such as the Gallery of Plaster Casts, the Physics Cabinet, the Botanical gardens and the Leonardo Castellani Hall of Engravings are also well worth visiting.
CHURCHES AND SIGHTS
Urbino’s civil and religious buildings are the living testimony of the history of this city. The Church of San Bernardino (just outside the city and where the tombs of the Dukes of Urbino are kept), Palazzetto Odasi and Palazzo Passionei are marvelous examples of the great period of the Renaissance. The 17th century Church of the Santo Spirito, the churches of San Francesco and San Domenico, both of which witnessed renovation works on the interior during the 18th century, and the Cattedral rebuilt by Valadier are all worth visiting as are all of the old oratories. A marvelous aristocratic residence can be found in the 18th century Palazzo Albani.
ARTISTIC HANDICRAFT
Urbino has a long tradition of artistic handicrafts, which is well documented by its urban history, starting above all with the Renaissance. Its goldsmiths, cabinetmakers and the artisans, who worked in the field of construction ( stuccoists, painters, carpenters, stonemasons) were renowned in the past. Today, there are still many shops to bear witness to their creativity. These are mainly small shops in the historical part of the city and workshops spread throughout the area, where you can have a close-up view of their ancient techniques and their latest creations, attend courses and buy items.
NATURE AND ENOGASTRONOMY
If it is true that art and culture have made Urbino a European capital in these fields, it must not be forgotten that all this happened in a natural and landscape context that undoubtedly made an important contribution.
To better understand it, you must immerse yourself completely into the countryside, following the dusty and winding paths that climb up and down narrow valleys, which reveal breathtaking sights that will make you stop to watch in fascination. So why don’t you stop at a farm inn along the way to admire the landscape and discover the tastes and flavours of the local cuisine, which has grown its produce on these lands?
Urbino’s gastronomic tradition is marked by its simplicity and genuineness, while offering rich surprises and enticing temptations. As regards first courses, suffice to mention the marvelous soups, which are traditionally prepared during the Christmas season, such as “cappelletti” in capon soup or “passatelli”.
After tasting the superb roasts, a taste of the famous Urbino “caciotta”, a fresh cheese with a delicate flavor, is a must. Another dish that cannot be missed is the “crescia sfogliata”, a bread-like speciality that can be filled with local ham or home-grown vegetables.
As regards the local wines, a glass of light and sparkling Bianchello del Metauro should not be missed.
A TOWN TO LIVE
A city cannot be judged only for its monuments. To know it in depth you need to enter into its living fabric, to walk through it and discover its hidden details, to pass from one door to another, from one stairway to another, to have a look inside the courtyards of the palaces, to stop in its most secluded squares, to meet its inhabitants and have them tell you of their customs, traditions and feasts….
Maybe, if I could stay in Urbino forever….
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