Itinéraires conseillés en Umbertide Italie

From Umbertide to Città di Castello

From Umbertide, after having visited the Castle of Civitella Ranieri, situated at a few kilometers' distance to the North - East of the inhabited area, follow the course of the Tiber river along the State road.
After having reached the Castle of Montalto, follow the State road 416 until you reach Lisciano Niccone, and if you would like, cross the regional border to arrive at Cortona. Returning to the Tiber valley, continue in direction North for only a few kilometers, and, in ascent, you'll arrive at Montone and from there, at Pietralunga. After having surmounted the pass of Monte Frantano descend until you reach Città di Castello; on the way, you'll pass near the Abbey of Montemaggiore.

From Città di castello to Gubbio - Hermitages, miracles and mysteries

Umbria retains an ancient tradition of spirituality and mysticism. Its history tell us of miracles and mysteries, taking places in hermitages and abbeys, enshrined in its wildest and most secluded recesses.

Città di castello: the splendour of Reinassance. Città di Castello is Umbria’s nort-western gate, easy to reach from Arezzo, through E45 and A1. The town reached its peak during the Reinassance, when the leading Vitelli family had its center embellished by some of the most renown artists of that time, whose works are now hosted in the Pinacoteca Comunale. Palazzo del Podestà, Palazzo Comunale, the Churches of San Francesco and San Domenico and the Cathedral also deserve a visit. In the Cathedral, a mysterious and fascinating holy relic is preserved: the Black Madonna, with its bizzarre iconography, probably derived from some ancient pagan cult. Saint Francis of Assisi is reported to have visited Città di Castello, where he famously cast the devil out from a local woman.+

Saint Francis's Good Rest. The Hermitage of Buonriposo, 5 miles from Città di Castello (vocabolo Sodo, vocabolo Uppiano), derives its name from Saint Francis having a stop over here, and exclaiming “Oh, che buon riposo” (Oh, what a good rest), in appreciation of the place.The room where he sojourned in 1213 is still visible. Our journey continues to the Badia Petroia, ( Ciciliano, vocabolo Ricastelli, vocabolo Biricocco, vocabolo Signorotto, vocabolo Rotetino, bivio Lugnano, Petroia)a. Its monastery (Monastero di Badia Petroia) belonged to the Benedictine Order and was built around 1060 by Marquis Ugo del Colle. A church and a private building (“Il Giardino della Badia”) are all that survives today.+

Crossing Appennini. The Sanctuary of Madonna di Belvedere (SS 257 towards vocabolo Surchio) can be reached from Città di Castello, following SS 257 for 20 miles, through pictoresque landscapes. As its name suggests, it offers a breath-taking overlook on the Appennini, for miles and miles throughout Umbria and Marche.30 miles of windy evocative road separate it from the Abbey of San Benedetto Vecchio di Pietralunga (SS 257 towards Fraccano), originally built in the XI Century by Saint Pier Damiani. On the road, you can make a detour to the lovely medieval town of Montone (towards Pietralunga, Maritonda Terza, Carpini, Zona Corlo), still kept in its pristine forms. PIE VE DE’ SADDI: THE DRAGON’S RIB Many of what Middle Ages men believed to be “dragon bones” are actually whale’s or mammouth’s bones; such legends, though, still hold firm. The Church of Saint Crescenziano in Pieve de’ Saddi (vocabolo Cortolla), five minutes from Pietralunga, retains a rib of the dragon which, according to the legend, this brave Roman legionary, belonging to one of the first Christian communities, killed in the V Century AD, before being beheaded during Diocletian’s persecution. The bone, more than 7 feet long, is held in the Cathedral’s Museum, together with the saint’s skull.+

Umbertide: Abbey of San Salvatore and Hermitage of Monte Corona. Few more than 10 miles from Pieve de’ Saddi (vocabolo Palazzo, Maritonda Terza, Zona Corlo, Zona Faldo), Umbertide offers gems such as the majestic medieval fortress, the Collegiata (an unusually octagon-shaped church) and, in the Church of Santa Croce, the wonderful Deposizione, painted in 1516 by Luca Signorelli and still in its original position. Our journey continues to the benedictine Abbey of San Salvatore di Montecorona, (Borgo Baraglia, Badia, Località Colle, Località Badia di Monte Corona).A few miles of road, and then a mountain path, lead to the Hermitage of Montecorona, built around the XIV Century by the Camaldolese friars, 705 meters above sea level among beech and chestnut woods, and dedicated to prayer and contemplation. Our trip ends in Gubbio (Badia, Borgo Baraglia. E poi la SS219 verso Camporeggiano e Monteleto), whose history is strictly tied to the figure of Saint Francis of Assisi, who dwelt here, helping poors and leprouses; here, according to the “Fioretti”, Chapter XXI, he also converted a savage wolf.+