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: Umbria
Regions of Italy
Land of saints, warriors, castles and medieval villages, rich in sacred art and Franciscan routes, Umbria consists of mountains and hills (for the most part), of ancient and unspeakable charm and unrepeatable spirituality. Perugia, the capital of the region (161.000 inhabitants), is rich in history and monuments. Besides the University for [...]
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Land of saints, warriors, castles and medieval villages, rich in sacred art and Franciscan routes, Umbria consists of mountains and hills (for the most part), of ancient and unspeakable charm and unrepeatable spirituality.
Perugia, the capital of the region (161.000 inhabitants), is rich in history and monuments. Besides the University for foreigners, the city has one of the most ancient Academies in Italy. Terni, Foligno (a rich business centre), Spoleto (Festival dei due Mondi), Gubbio, Assisi (homeland of Saint Francis e Saint Clare, patrons of Italy) and Orvieto, are the other important cities in the region.
The origins of Umbria date back to the Paleolithic. The Umbrians and the Etruscans were the first to settle in the Protohistoric period. Terni was founded in 672 BC, and it was conquered by the Romans in 295 (battle of Sentinum). The Middle Ages were a period of violent struggles between the Ostrogoths and the Byzantines, the Church and the Empire, Guelphs and Ghibellines. Umbrian cities, protected by imposing and sturdy walls, often fought each other, and that is why the region has become a collection of countless dialects that remain incomprehensible. Between the XIV and XVIII centuries Umbria was annexed to the Papal States. Then, after the Napoleon experience, it became part of the Reign of Italy (1860).
The multitude of abbeys, Benedictine and Franciscan monasteries, Romanesque churches and Gothic cathedrals, make it a profoundly religious region, rich in asceticism and mysticism, which are perhaps the most fascinating aspects of Umbria. Besides Francis and Claire, other important figures were Saint Benedict of Nursia, Saint Rita of Cascia, Jacopone da Todi. A past that is still considered a very vivid and topical cultural heritage, and fosters various events: music festivals like Umbria jazz, stage shows, huge crafts fairs, tourism, agriculture and folklore.
