Umbertide

Umbertide is a city in the province of Perugia in northern Umbria in Italy.

Understand

Umbertide lies on the River Tiber, the river that eventually passes through Rome. Unlike most Umbrian cities, which are hill towns, it lies on flat land. It is an important industrial center producing machine tools, farm machinery, ceramics and other products. Compared with other cities in the region it also has relatively little history, with its formation dating back to around the 10th Century. Its original name was Fratta and for much of its history it has been under the control of Perugia. It received its present name in 1863 in honor of the then Crown Prince Umberto. Most of its attractions are also relatively recent.

On April 25th, 1944 Allied planes mistakenly dropped bombs on the medieval part of the town, causing considerable damage and killing sixty people.

Get in

Umbertide is on the E45 highway, 30km north of Perugia and 20km south of Città di Castello.

There are train connections via Perugia.

See

• S. Maria della Reggia. This is often referred to as the Collegiata. It is an octagonal 16th century brick building topped by a cupola. It houses a few paintings by Pomarancio.
• S. Maria della Pietà, has an attractive funerary chapel. It is of late medieval and Renaissance styles.
• Santa Croce Museum, Piazza San Francesca, ☎ 075 9420147. Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 10.30-13.00 and 15.00-17.30. Afternoon hours one hour later in summer. The museum, which is inside the church of S. Croce, is most famous for the painting Deposition of the Cross by Luca Signorelli (1516). There is also a Madonna and Child by Niccolò Circignani (known as Pomarancio).
• La Rocca. This was a medieval fort protecting the Tiber River. It is in the middle of the historical center and contains an Exhibition of Contemporary Art.

Get out

• Civitella Ranieri, 5 km NorthEast of Umbertide, is one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in Umbria.
• The abbey of S. Salvatore di Montecorona is 4 km to the South. It has a beautiful eleventh century crypt with early Romanesque capitals and interesting naif 18th century painted ceilings.
• Gubbio is a major medieval center, almost due East of Umbertide.

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