Todi is a delightful little town perched on the rocky top of a hill that dominates the central Tiber valley
mid-way between Terni and Perugia. The medieval historic town center is important for its prestigious religious
buildings, such as the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta
(with the Ferraù da Faenza painting entitled
Il giudizio universale [Day of Judgment] , inspired by the works of
Michelangelo), the convento di San Giovanni Battista, and the
church of San Fortunato (the patron saint) which contains the
remains of the Saint Jacopone
da Todi, one of Italy's most important poets who wrote in dialect.
Outside the town walls is the famous renaissance church of
Santa Maria della Consolazione, at one end of a long
boulevard lined with cypress and horse-chestnut trees that leads to the ancient
convento di Montesanto on the
national road to Orvieto. Other important renaissance buildings of note are the
Palazzo del Capitano and the
Palazzo dei Priori. The steps of
via di San Fortunato lead down to
the lovely façade of the now
deconsecrated church of Saints Filippo e Giacomo that has been completely
renovated to become an exhibition hall for artworks. Another noteworthy site is the rocca [citadel], at
411 meters the highest point in the town, built by order of Pope Gregory IX in 1373; the imposing circular
mastio [stronghold] is still today an admirable construction.
The word Todi may derive from the Latin "tutere" (boundary), the Etruscan "tudicolare", or Latin "tutus" (a high,
fortified place). The town's past was brutal due to the battles and pillaging involved in hostilities between
cities, but today Todi is renowned as a tranquil town of culture. In the 1990s it experienced a period of special
popularity when an American researcher decreed that it was the 'most livable' town in the world.
The last week of July is the usual period for the Todi Art Festival,
a yearly cultural happening comprised of
theatrical representations, classical and ethnic music, dance, visual arts and literary events.
