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GUIDE TO PRINT The pleasant atmosphere, the natural atmosphere and the near cities of art, they make of residence the ALBAROSA a point of reference for how many wish to pass one pleasant vacation, relaxant and rich of alternatives. Its strategic position allows to visit the beautifulst cities of art of the Umbria and the Marches like Gubbio, Assisi, Gualdo Tadino, Nocera Umbra, Urbino and Fabrian and to enjoy the particular geographic aspects, geologic, faunistici and floristici of the Park of the Cucco Mount that are such to favor many activities to the open air. The main one is sure the hiking that it sees every year tens of migliaia of gets passionate to you to cover the driven in net of the paths: beyond 120 Km those signals to you, between which the Italy Path and the Europe Path. The free flight (deltaplanismo and parapendio) is practiced to Cucco Mount, thanks to the favorable upward currents presents. Sigillo Going up on the left side of the Chiascio valley one gets to Sigillo, agricultural center of ancient origins laying at the bottom of Monte Cucco. The village, having roman origins, (anciently Suillum), was destroyed at the beginning of the XIII century, and reconstructed and enlarged by Perugia on 1274. At the beginning of the XV century it was taken over by the papal state, keeping for long times special privileges. Ippolito Borghese, a very active painter, expecially in the Napoli area, painted and left here a remarkable signed painting (Annunciazione) with date and a self-portrait, stored in the curch of S.Agostino with a cross of golden copper by Enrico di Piamonte. Other remarkable atistic monuments are the church of S. Anna, and the ruines of a huge Roman bridge said Spiano realized with huge square blocks probably during August empire. Gubbio Laying on the slopes of Monte Ingino, Gubbio is one of the most ancient towns of Umbria, extremely well preserved during centuries and rich of monuments testifying its glorious past. Two important witnesses of the past are the Tavole Eugubine, one of most important documents referring to the ancient people called Italici and the Roman Theatre just outside the walls of the town. Dominated from the top by the Basilica on which the rests of St. Ubaldo are buried, Gubbio keeps architectonic masterpieces testifying the beauty and the imprtance of what used to be during the Middle ages, a real town-state. At the beginning of the XIV century the Consuls Palace, today symbol of the town, was constructed together with the square Piazza Pensile and Pretorio Palace. To remind the palaces Beni, del Bargello with the famous fountain, of People Captain , in typical renaissance style, Dukes Palace by Francesco Giorgio Martini which testity the importance of the period on which the Montefeltro's family had the administration of the town. Very interesting are also the Cathedral (XII century), St. Maria Nuova (inside which one can admire the Madonna del Belvedere painted by Ottaviano Nelli on 1413), Church and Convent of St. Agostino (XIII century ) with inside frescoes of Nelli, Church and Convent of St. Francesco (XIII century), St. Giovanni (XII century) characterised by the facade and bell tower in romanic style, St. Peter enlarged in 1505 and St. Domenico enlarged in the XIV century. Among the most important manifestations taking place in the city we should absolutely mention the Racing silk of the Crossbow and the Ceri Race. One starts the visit entering through Via Matteotti from the statal road coming from Perugia. Keeping on the way, passing via mausoleo one get to the Mausoleum of forty Martyrs, work of the architect Pietro Fringuelli, erected to remind the 40 patriots killed by the nazists on June, the 22nd 1944. Continuing through via Matteotti one gets to the square of forty Martyrs, from which it is possible to admire the complex of the most interesting buildings in town. On the left side of the square the church of S. Francesco can be admired. From this square, going along Via della Repubblica one gets to the curch of S.Giovanni, then from via baldassini it is possible to admire the left side of the town hall and the arches realized by the Gattapone to support the square Piazza della Signoria. From this point it is possible to notice the imposing size of the Consuls Palace. Coming back through via Lucarelli one gets to piazza della Signoria, by way of stairs. From via dei consoli, one gets to largo del Bargello, embellished by a fountain, where the elegant Bargello Palace, dating from the XIII century, can be admired. On the left, after a few steps, one gets to the square of Giordano Bruno where there is the church of S.Domenico. Continuing by via Gabrielli and after by via Capitano del popolo one can visit the palace Capitano del Popolo . Coming back to via dei Consoli one takes on the left via Galeotti and then via Ducale and, taking again on the right via S.Ubaldo, one gets to the Dome and to the Dukes Palace called as well la Corte. By via Ducale one arrives at via XX Settembre and taking on the right via Mastro Giorgio first and via Savelli della Porta after one arrives at the church S.Maria Nuova. Gualdo Tadino famous
for its ceramics industry and art, lays on Sant'Angelo hill dominated by the
castel "Rocca
Flea".
Athough not much is known about the history of the town during ancient romans,
it is quite sure that the roman Tadinum was an important center since it was
along the Flaminia way. It was destroyed and robbed several times by the
barbarians; and due to that it was rebuilt in 1180 on the close hills, as
testified by the name Gualdo, from the german word "walt" i.e. "wood".
During the Middle Age it became a free commun, and later on it was taken over by
the papal state. Nocera Umbra Famed for its mineral waters, Nocera Umbra is a town with a very old appearance which has sprung up along the valley of the Topino river. Its buildings of major artistic value are without doubt the Cathedral and the church of St. Francis. The latter was built between the 14th and 15th centuries and is now the seat of the city's Pinacoteque, and contains, other than the splendid frescoes by Matteo of Gualdo, paintings by the Umbrian and Tuscan schools. In the Cathedral, which dates back to the 11th centuryand was reconstructed in the 15th century, the Romanic portal at the left-hand side and the maiolica pavement of the sacristy are noteworthy. Assisi Italy stretches out on the slopes of the Monte Subasio, above the plain where the Topino and Chiascio rivers flow. Although it can boast Roman origins, its present-day appearance, because of the buildings and also the urban structure. is surely due to the city's development during the Middle Ages. Assisi's oldest nucleus, which is protected by a defensive apparatus made up of eight fortified entrance portals and a long belt of town walls, which are still perfectly preserved, is topped by two castles on peak of the mountain: the Major Castle, reconstructed by the Cardinal Albornoz in 1367 and the Minor Castle. Apart from religious buildings too important to not be considered solely the heritage of Assisi such as the basilica of St. Francis, the tourist can also visit the churches of St. Clare and St.Peter. The first was constructed in the Gothic style between 1257 and 1265, the second is a little older and decorated with an elegant middle portal with three rose-windows. The Cathedral, dedicated to the Patron Saint St. Rufino, vaunts a splendid and unaltered facade with sculptures and reliefs; the interior, however, has undergone much reconstruction during the centuries which have distorted the original project dating back to the 13th century. On the Town Square situated on the ancient Forum, you will find the Priors' Palace (1337), the Palace of the People's Captain (12th century) and the temple of Minerva, built during the augustean period with pronaos, columms and corinthian capitals which are still intact. Nearby, places which are connected with the life of St. Francis can be visited, sich as the Eremitage of the Prisons, immersed in a thick wood of oaks and ilex on the slopes of the Subasio Mountain, and the convent of St. Damian, which was built up around the oratory were, according to tradition, the Cross spoke to the Saint. Finally, in the plain, the impressive basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels was built according to the plans of Alessi between 1569 and 1679 to protect the Porziuncola Chapel, which was the first simple meeting-place of the Francescan brotherhood. All those who have the good luck of visiting this splendid town have to agree with who says that the beauty of town goes beyond a short, and necessarily incomplete list of works of art more or less extraordinary, but is however to be found in the atmosphere of places which the story and the faith of the Saint have rendered unique all over the world Montefalco which is placed in a dominating position looking down on the valleys of the Topino and the Clitunno rivers, offers the viewer of a sweeping panorama of the Umbrian countryside. The buildings inside the ancient town walls which are definitely worth visiting are, without doubt, the Town Hall, which dates back to the 13th century, as does the church of St. Augustine, the Romanic church of St. Bartholomew with the Portal of Frederick II (1244) to be found near-by and the church of St. Chiara where, inside, you'll discover paintings by the Umbrian school. You absolutely should not forget to visit the 14th century church of St. Francis, which is now the seat of the Pinacoteque; in fact, inside, you'll find many paintings of great artistic value such as the "Nativity" by Perugino and the extraordinary cycle of frescoes: " The Stories of St. Francis by Benozzo Gozzoli. Near the inhabitated area you'll find the 16th century church of St. Illuminata and the 15th century church of St. Fortunato which contains, in the lunette of the portal and in the altar to the right, works of art by Benozzo Gozzoli. Among the most important typical products in the city we should absolutely mention the Sagrantino of Montefalco wine. Bevagna The ancient small town of Roman origin called Bevagna is to be found on the western fringe of the Foligno plain, at the foot of the group of hills where Montefalco rises up and near the loop of the river Timia. Its modern-day appearance is surely the result of its developement during the Middle Ages. In fact, even if the Roman had constructed the ancient Menania in such a way that the Flaminia Road was the decuman axis of the town, the town's center is now placed more to the South. In Piazza Silvestri, you absolutely should not miss the Gothic Palace of the Consuls, situated singularly slantwise to the streets, amd the churches of St. Sylvester (1195 d.C.) and St. Michael Arcangel; the fountain which completes the scene of this exceptional public area is, however, an adaptation dating back to the 19th century. Even today, the medieval town portals, even after reconstructive measures such as those of the Porta San Venanzo in 1797, and long stretches of the old town walls, are in a good state of preservation. Other monuments testifying to the more ancient origins of Bevagna are not lacking: the ruins of a temple of the 2nd century A.C. on which the medieval church of the Madonna of the Snow was subsequently erected, the Roman theater (2nd century A.C.) which remains to serve as a foundation for a circular block along the course of the ancient Flaminia Road and the impressive remains of mosaics representing marine animals perhaps belonging to a thermal baths building. Among the most important manifestations taking place in the city we should absolutely mention the Market of the Gaite. Spello rises up between Assisi and Foligno, situated on a spur of the Subasio Mountain above a fertile and well-irrigated plain. Among the neighbouring cities, this is surely the one which preserves the major number of monuments testifying to the Roman era; for example, the town walls, which later became the foundations for the medieval walls, the ruins of the theater and the amphitheater, the thermal baths and the splendid town portals Porta Consolare, Porta Urbica and Porta Venere dating back to the Augustean era. In ascent, you'll arrive at the church of St. Mary Maggiore built Between the 11th and 12th centuries, which, even if it can boast a beautiful facade riconstructed with antique materials in 1644 at the same time as other architectonic modificatione were undertaken, guards its most precious treausure inside. In fact, the marvellous Baglioni Chapel is to be found on the left-hand side of the nave. with its paintings by Pinturicchio showing the "Annunciation", the "Nativity" scene and the "Dispute at the Temple", among other frescoes by the same painter which are to be found the chapels under the cross vaults and paintings by Perugino on the pilasters of the entrance to the presbytery. Close by, it is possible to visit the church of St. Andrew (13th century), which contains the painting of the "Madonna and the Saints" by Pinturicchio. Don't forget to take a look at the Town Hall in Piazza della Repubblica with its beautiful ogival portico, and the church of St. Laurence with the remains of the older building dating back to the 12th century. Looking out from the ruins of the Castle (14th century) which is situated on top of the hill, one dominates the valley of the Topino river and all of the surrounding hillside. Just outside of the inhabited area you'll find the Romanic church of St. Claudius and the "Chiesa Tonda" which was built during the Renaissance period in the form of a Greek cross with an octagonal cupola. Trevi As with the the greater part of the medieval towns in this area, Trevi rises up on a hill dominating the plain where the river Clitunno flows, between Foligno and Spoleto. One of the most interesting artistic monuments for whoever visits this town is without doubt the church of St. Emiliano of the 12th century, with three apses decorated with pilaster strips and small arches supported by wall-brackets. Inside the church, you'll find the Altar of the Sacrament, a very fine work of art attributed to Rocco of Vicenza (1522). Apart from the church of St. Francis built in the Gothic style and dating back to the 13th century, which contains frescoes of the 14th and 15th centuries, we recommend a visit to the Pinoteca lodged in the Town Hall (15th century), where you can admire a Madonna by Pinturicchio and a Coronation of Mary by Spagna. Being situated slightly outside the town, you'll shortly arrive at the Madonna of the Tears (1487) with a beautiful fresco by Perugino and the Romanic church of St. Peter at Bovara. Campello sul Clitunno The town of Campello sul Clitunno is to be found at about 10 km north of Spoleto. Its fame is due more to the bucolic atmosphere of its springs, descrived in the past by poets as important as Vergil and Carducci, than to its artistic works or to the fortified town of Campello Alto. The small Temple of Clitunno (or church of St. Salvatore) is situated near the springs; it is of paleocristian origin and dates back to the 5th century, consisting in a cell with a classical pronao in front. In the neighborhood, the town and the castle of St. Giacomo of Spoleto, the castle of Pissignano and the villa - castle of Lenano, are worth visiting. Foligno Foligno is one of the very few Umbrian cities built in the plain. It rises up on the banks of Topino river where the river erupts into the valley in an area where extensive drainage of the large swamplands took place, first during Roman times, then during the 15th and 16th centuries, and finally in the 19th century. Very probably, the most significant part of one's stay at Foligno is a visit to the Piazza della Repubblica and the adjoining Piazza Duomo. The former, in its present-day appearance, with its elongated shape and the junction of four streets at the corners was planned according to the lay-out popular in the 12th and the 13th centuries for many Umbrian town squares. The Cathedral and the Town Hall, erected between 1262 and 1265, the Pretorio Palace, the Orfini Palace (1515) and the Trinci Palace, which preserves traces of the original beautiful decorations and some rooms with valuable frescoes, look down on the square. More attentive tourists should not leave Foligno without having visited the Romanic church of St. Mary Infraportas and the Abbey of Sassovivo,(actually in restoration) situated at only 6 km's distance from the city center. The former is distinguished, other than by the frescoes dating back to to the 15th and 16th centuries, by its beautiful bell-tower and by its 11th century portico. You'll remember the latter because of its Romanic cloister (13th century), with its 128 slender columms and its mystical atmosphere, typical of Benedictine places of worship. Among the most important manifestations taking place in the city we should absolutely mention the festival Tournement of the Quintana. Spoleto Spoleto,
even if shows evident traces of the Roman era even in its urban structure,
substantially mantains a medieval appearance, due to the period in which it was
first a flourishing longobard Duchy, and then an important city within the Papal
State. The Arch of Drusus (23 A.C.) to be found near the Romanic church of St.
Ansano , the Roman theater, whose construction goes back to the first years of
the Empire, and the paleocristian basilica St.
Salvatore
of the 4th century (at about 1.2 km's distance to the north), are testimonials
of Spoleto's earliest origins. Close by, the church St.Gregorio Maggiore,(12th
century), characterized by its evocative apsis zone and by the elevated
presbitery, a Roman bridge (also called "the Bloody") consisting of
three arches in travertine stone blocks and the amphitheater of the 2nd century
A.C. can be found. More modern monuments which are as fascinating are the
churches of St. Dominic and St. Ponziano, both of which were built during the
12th century. The church of St.
Peter
is surely of great interest because of its extraordinary bas-reliefs which
decorate the facade which dates back to the 12th century. From the area found in
front of the church of St. Peter one enjoys a wide panorama which encompasses
all of Spoleto until the mighty Bridge of the Towers (ten arches with a total
height of 80 meters and 230 meters long), which connects the Castle, which was
constructed from 1352 onwards on the orders of the Cardinal Egidio Albornoz
according to plans by Matteo Gattaponi, to the runners of the mountain which
dominates the city. Monteluco was, in fact, the sacred mountain of the
anchorites, who having settled in this zone from the 7th century on, founded the
convent of St. Francesco, to be found at about 8 km's distance from the
inhabited area, and the church of St. Julian. Without doubt, on the person who
has the good luck of visiting these sights, the entire Cathedral
complex constructed during the 12th century and caracterized apart from the
richness of furnishings of the interior also by the mosaics in the Byzantine
style on its facade, and the Romanic church of St.Eufemia
will make an unforgettable impression. Le Grotte di Frasassi Timetable of Income of the Coves of Frasassi: From
November to February hour following incomes in: From
March to July and September to October hour following incomes in: To
August hour following incomes in: From 20/7 to the 25/8 nocturnal incomes to hours 21,00 and 22.30. The cove will remain sluice in the days 4 and 25 Decembers, 1 January and last the three weeks of January. The Frasassi Consortium predisposes an adequate number of incomes added to you in function of the demands from part of the tourists. Details and information are available contacting numbers 0732,90090 - 0732,90780 - 0732.97200 THE PARK OF MOUNTAIN CUCCO The Park of Mountain Sports It is an Apennine mountain system dominated by Monte Cucco (1566 m). Its Umbrian side descends up to via Flaminia, where it is possible to see some important remains of the Roman period. It is the "womb of the Apennines" with a complex hypogean system, karst phenomena, underground waters leading to the civic aqueducts, to the mineral springs and flowing into the River Sentino. The Park is rich in fossils and impaired woods. It is the Park of mountain sports: gliding, speleology, cross-country skiing. The Territory The
Parco del Monte Cucco includes the northern-eastern territory of the Region
Umbria, delimited by the ridge of the Apennines among which Mt. Cucco stands out
(meters 1.566), by the historical itinerary along the via Flaminia, by the
rivers Sentino and Chiascio. The Natural Surroundings The
Apennine chain is characterized in its higher altitudes by beech woods and
mountain pastures, by rocky slopes and deep gorges from which the watercourses
spring. The mountains gently slope down to an area of high hills still
characterized by precious woods and by pastures. The History of Man and his Signs The original Umbrian civilization was replaced in its first expansion by the Roman one and already in 220 BC the censor Caio Flaminio started the building of the via Flaminia to link Roma to the high Adriatic area. Helvillum Vicus (Fossato di Vico), Suillum (Sigillo), Ad Ensem (Scheggia) - respectively Roman federate center, municipium, and Statius - were always in the Roman political and cultural orbit first, and then in the Byzantine one, forming with their territories a piece of the passage that definitively linked Roma to Ravenna despite the pressure of the Longobard dukedoms. Castrum Costacciari (Costacciaro) was built by the Town of Gubbio around 1250 to fortify the eastern town border together with Scheggia; Sigillo and Fossato instead were part of the territory of Perugia that assured to itself, thanks to the passage road, the access to the salt market from the Adriatic Sea. The archaeological finds linked to the via Flaminia are of great importance, conserved in antiquarium, and still visible in their original monumental settlement at the Pontespiano. The historical centers of the four Towns are of great importance for their culture and landscape, rich in walls and defensive towers, in churches, in pictures, in fossils collections, in rare archival documents. In the northern part of the territory there are several Benedictine and Camaldolensian abbeys, and among the most important ones: Sant'Emiliano in Isola Fossara and the Hermitage of San Girolamo in Pascelupo. The Most Important Environmental Aspects ·
Forra
di Rio Freddo ·
The
Ravine of Balzo dell’Aquila ·
Le
Lecce ·
La
Muraglia delle Liscarelle ·
Corno
di Catria ·
Pian
delle Macinare ·
“Cacuminal”
meadows ·
Subterranean
Caves in Valdorbia (Scheggia) ·
Beech
Tree Wood ·
Valle
delle Prigioni
Sport and Environment The
particular geographical, geological, faunistic, and vegetational aspects of the
Park favor many activities in the open air. The main activity is without a doubt
the excursionism: every year thousands of people go along the more than 120 Km
long thick path network, with the "Sentiero Italia" and the
"Sentiero Europa 1". Gliding (hang gliding and paragliding) can be
practiced in Monte Cucco, thanks to the favorable ascending currents. The huge
and fascinating subterranean world of Monte Cucco gives the possibility to
practice speleology, while the considerable presence of superficial and
subterranean waters running through the gorges and ravines give the possibility
to practice canyoning Moreover, it is possible to practice cross-country skiing
in Pian delle Macinare, sport fishing along the river Sentino and the stream Rio
Freddo, mountain-bike and horse riding excursionism along the several
itineraries. Science and Entertainment The
main feature of Parco del Monte Cucco is given by its hypogean resources with
the homonymous cave system of Mt. Cucco, whose depth goes beyond the 990 meters. Sport in Park of the Monte Cucco The geographical, geological, faunistic, vegetational, and landscape position of the Park romotes and favors many activities in the open air, also with strong cultural connotations. ·
Hiking ·
Free
Flight
Speleological activity does not only mean sport and entertainment, but also geographical and scientific research and has in Mt. Cucco a centuries-old tradition. Generations of naturalists have had their first suggestions by descending into the great Cave known all over the world. And there is no field of naturalistic research that cannot be applied to the subterranean world of Cucco: geology, karst phenomena, hydrology, mineralogy, paleontology, paleoethnology, fauna, flora, meteorology, chemistry, physics, human biology. ·
Canyoning ·
Horse-riding ·
Mountain
Bike ·
Sport
Fishing ·
Cross-country
Skiing For information: You can obtain information on: educational, sports, and recreational activities held in the Park. In particular, you can find information on the weather forecasts, snowfalls, and practicability of the ski tracks, on the state of anchorages in caves and ravines, on the water conditions, both in the surface and in caves, on hiking, educational, speleological initiatives, on nature, speleology, and training courses, on the events linked to the particular activities organized by the Park, on the visits to the museums and exhibitions by contacting:
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