Monuments and natural beauties

• Fontana Maggiore: this fountain is in Piazza IV Novembre, it was designed between 1275 and 1278 by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano with the collaboration of Frà Bevignate da Cingoli and Boninsegna Veneziano. The fountain was built to celebrate the arrival in the higher part of the town of the new waterworks (now it is used as a pedestrian crossing in the Middle Ages area of Conca). The fountain is made of two marble basins surmounted by a bronze cup (made by a caster from Perugia, Rosso Padellaio). It is one of the most beautiful fountains in Italy thanks to its elegance and its decorations (there are 50 basso-rilievos and 24 statues). The two basins are decorated with basso-rilievos. Those of the lower one portray the symbols and the scenes from rural and feudal life, the months, the zodiac signs, the Bible and the history of Rome. Those of the upper one portray mythological and Biblical characters. It is the first fountain not to be built on site: it was built in a laboratory and then it was mounted in the middle of the square. It was built using stone from Assisi and it receives the water from Pacciano mount that is 150 km far from the town.
• Arco Etrusco: this Etrurian arch is one of the seven doors in the Etrurian walls in Perugia (the others are Porta Sole, Porta della Mandorla, Porta Marzia, Porta Trasimena, Porta Cornea, Porta S. Pietro or Romana). It was built in the second half of III century b.C. and it was restored by Augustus in 40 b.C. after his victory in the War of Perugia. It has a façade with an only arcade and two embattled towers. In the upper part there is a blind arch on which ‘Augusta Perusia’ is written: it was the name of the town after the restoration by Augustus. The loggia on the left tower was added in XVI century, while the fountain at the feet of this tower was completed in 1621.
• Palazzo Gallenga Stuart: this palace has been the seat of the University for Foreigners since 1926. It has a beautiful Baroque façade (designed by Roman architect Bianchi and built by Pietro Carattoli in 1754); the salon has wonderful stuccoes. A tradition tells that Carlo Goldoni acted in a small theatre of this palace when he was a child and he visited the town with his father, a physician.
• Rocca Paolina: this fortress was designed by Antonio da Sangallo il Giovane and it was built between 1540 and 1543. It was ordered by Pope Paul III and until 1860 it represented the symbol of the power of the Pope on Perugia. To build this fortress, the houses of Baglioni family were thrown down, other houses, around 25 towers, 3 churches and a monastery. The fortress was partly destroyed in 1848. It was built again in 1860 (ordered by Pope Pio IX). Then it was thrown down again in 1860 when Perugia was annexed to the Reign of Italy. Nowadays, this underground town is really charming. Its spaces are used as the stage of important cultural events. Under the Rocca there is via Bagliona, a charming Middle Ages underground path.  
• Palazzo dei Priori: during Middle Ages this palace was the residence of the most important political authorities of Perugia. It was built in travertine and white and red stones of Bettona. The portal is decorated by two bronze statues of XIII century, portraying the Lyon and the Griffin, the symbols of the town, made by two Venetian artists. Through the portal visitors enter the wonderful Sala dei Notari, rectangular: the vault is supported by Romanic arches and the walls are covered with frescoes portraying episodes from the Old Testament. Inside there is an important museum, Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria, that contains a great art collection, from XIII to XIX century, by famous artists (among them Arnolfo di Cambio, Piero della Francesca, il Perugino, Pinturicchio) that worked in Umbria. It is the most important collection of Central Italy. At the ground floor there are some beautiful rooms: Collegio della Mercanzia and Collegio del Cambio, the most important guilds during Middle Ages. Merchants moved their guild in this palace in 1390 and they paid to have the meeting room covered with poplar and walnut-tree wood: it was a beautiful and original decoration. The guild of exchangers moved in this palace in 1400. The palace contains the most important work of art made by Perugino in town: one of the best examples of Renaissance art in Italy, they are some frescoes portraying heroes and virtues of the past.
• Duomo di S. Lorenzo: the cathedral was built in XV century. At the entrance, there is the bronze statue portraying Pope Julius II and a pulpit built for S. Bernardino da Siena (1425). Inside there are three naves and interesting works of art: the chapel called Cappella del Santo Anello, in which there is, according to an ancient tradition, the wedding ring of Our Lady, made with a precious agate stone. A legend tells that the colour of the stone changes according to the person that wears it. There is also a beautiful wood choir stalls by Giuliano da Majano and Domenico del Tasso; and a deposition by Barocci. In the nave there is a column with a Renaissance painting portraying Our Lady of the Graces: this painting is considered as a miraculous icon, in fact the just baptised children are brought here. In the cathedral there are the sarcophaguses of popes Urbano IV and Martino IV. There is also a museum containing works of art and furniture coming from the churches of the diocese, from the cathedral and donations.
• Chiesa di S. Pietro: this church was built at the end of X century; in the archive there are documents, imperial diplomas of XI and XII century. The courtyard is really beautiful, it is by Martelli: Form the courtyard people enter the church: inside there are three naves, they are supported by columns. The church contains interesting works of art, among them paintings by Aliense, a pupil by Tintoretto. The choir stalls is really beautiful and it is a real Renaissance masterpiece. The bell tower is beautiful, too. The upper part was rebuilt in 1400 following a project by Bernardo Rossellino. In the sacristy there are four small paintings by Perugino.
• Chiesa di S. Domenico: this church was built at the beginning of 1300. According to Giorgio Vasari, the project was by Giovanni Pisano. Inside the church is white and very simple. The shape is that of a Latin cross. The three naves are really long. The apse is illuminated through a wonderful Gothic window with coloured glass. The polychrome altar is by Agostino di Duccio; the sepulchral monument dedicated to Benedict XI was made by pupils of Arnolfo di Cambio. In this church there are important works of art. In the near monastery there is an archaeological museum, Museo Archeologico Nazionale dell’Umbria, with prehistoric, Etrurian and Roman findings. In the underground, in the cloister, there it the reconstruction of the tomb of Cai Cutu (III-I century b.C.), found in 1983 in Monteluce. This small tomb has three cells and contains the body of the head of a family. In the cells there are the bodies of around fifty people. On the walls of the cloister there are the urns coming from Hellenistic necropolises of Perugia and Roman materials. In the upper loggia there are Hellenistic urns, Roman pieces and the amulets of Bellucci collection, the bronze pieces found in 1812 in San Mariano di Corciano.
• Oratorio di S. Bernardino: San Bernardino was very important in the life of Perugia. Thanks to him there was the reform of the statutes (Statuta Bernardiniana) and the diffusion of the worship of Jesus’ name, as the trigram IHS shows (it is on many architraves). Bernardino became a saint in 1450 and the Priors decided to honour him building an oratory. It is a Renaissance masterpiece. The façade is polychrome and was carved by Agostino di Duccio: it is decorated with statues and basso-rilievos. The oratory has three naves and it is in Gothic style. There is a Christian sarcophagus of IV century: it is used as the main altar.
• Chiesa di S. Francesco al Prato: this church was built in 1200 by Franciscan friars. There is only a nave and a polygonal apse. In the church there are the sepulchres of Braccio Fortebraccio and of Bartolo da Sassoferrato.
• Palazzo della Penna: this palace is a XVI century residence, made of many different architectural styles that testify the evolution of the area.
• Chiesa di S. Agata: this church is of Gothic style. Inside there are important Umbrian frescoes of 1300.
• Chiesa e convento di S. Agostino: this church and this monastery are dedicated to Saint Augustine. The church is in Gothic style made with white and pink stones. Inside there is only a nave. In the side chapels there are frescoes of 1300 and 1500.
• Chiesa di S. Angelo (Tempio di S. Michele Arcangelo): this church is one of the most ancient Early-Christian churches in Italy (V-VI century). Inside there are two naves separated by 16 Roman columns with Corinthian capitals. There are also four chapels forming a Greek cross. There are 12 windows on the dome.
• Chiesa di S. Angelo di Porta Eburnea: inside there are the paintings of important local artists made in 1700. The scholar Annibale Mariotti is buried here.
• Chiesa di S. Anna or di S. Maria dei Francolini: in this church there are paintings made from the end of XVI to XVIII century, among them a painting portraying Our Lady. The church is open only for the feast dedicated to Saint Anne, on the 26^th July.
• Chiesa  di S. Antonio Abate: it was built in 1163 and restored by Padri Olivetani from Polvere isle that moved there. Outside there is the sculpture of a small pig. It is very loved by inhabitants.
• Chiesa di S. Benedetto Vecchio: there is a very nice bell tower of Eastern style (XVIII century), richly decorated with bricks. Inside there are late – Gothic paintings (‘300-‘400).
• Chiesa del Carmine: this church contains paintings made in ‘600-‘700. Next to the church there is the Confraternity of S. Fiorenzo e S. Simone with a rich Baroque altar and a great big painting by Pietro Montanini (1673).
• Chiesa Compagnia della Morte: inside there is an interesting altar-piece made in 1600 by Pellegrini.
• Chiesa di S. Croce: on the façade there is a plaque that recalls the fact that Pietro Vannucci called il Perugino lived there.
• Museo storico della Perugina: it was inaugurated in 1997 for the 90^th anniversary of Perugina, the story of this famous company is all collected in this museum.
• Torre degli Sciri: this tower was built in 1200. In the past there were many towers in the town, but this is the only one that is still visible.
• Prome: from this terrace visitors can admire the whole town.
• Giardino Carducci: this park is dedicated to Giosuè Carducci because one of his poems, Canto dell’amore, was inspired by this place. There are many monuments dedicated to famous people, such as Carducci and Perugino.
• Chiesa di S. Giuliana: this church was built in XIII century and next to it there is a beautiful cloister with portico and loggias. There is a tall bell tower. Inside there are frescoes made in XIII – XIV century.

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Written by Stefania Maffeo
Translation by Linda Liguori