Perugia, high on a hill overlooking the Tiber valley, is one of Italy's oldest and most beautiful cities.
From its Etruscan walls, to the medieval stones, the marble statues by Agostino di Duccio in S. Bernardino,
the Perugino frescoes, and then the 16th century and baroque buildings of the era when it was under papal
rule, Perugia demonstrates the vitality of practically the entire history of Italian art. Here the characteristic
layout of Etruscan cities has been preserved, like the city walls that date back to the 4th-2nd centuries B.C.
There are eight major openings in these ancient walls: in particular, we note the two monumental gates, the
Porta d'Augusto (the main entrance to the city) and
Porta San Pietro, and the equally magnificent
Porta Mandorla and Porta Marzia.
At the very heart of the city is Piazza IV Novembre with the
Fontana Maggiore, the Duomo,
that is the Cathedral of S. Lorenzo (the
Museo Capitolare in the cloister presents numerous artworks of inestimable
value), the 15th century Loggia di Fortebraccio, and the
Palazzo dei Priori, one of Italy's most magnificent
medieval buildings. Here in
this palazzo are the Sala del Collegio della Mercanzia e il Collegio del Cambio
(on the ground floor) and, three floors above, the Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria
which has a collection of antique manuscripts and a large
collection of 14th and 15th century art, in particular works by Piero della Francesca,
Perugino, and Beato Angelico.
Other places of interest are the marvelous Chiesa di S.Domenico, the
important Museo Archeologico Nazionale dell'Umbria, the church of
S. Severo (with a fresco attributed to Raphael), the
Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo,
the complesso di San Francesco, the
Oratorio di San Bernardino, and the
palazzo dell'Università Vecchia
(the University of Perugia, one of Italy's oldest, was founded in 1308).
Perugia presents many important international events, such as
Eurochocolate, a nine day show dedicated to chocolate,
including stalls and tables offering chocolates and pastries along the streets, and
Umbria Jazz, one of the most
famous European jazz festivals.
