Perugia (IPA: /peˈru(ː)dʒa/) is the capital
city of the region of
Umbria in central
Italy, near the
Tiber River, and the capital of the
province of Perugia. The city symbol is the
griffin, which can be seen in the form of plaques and statues on buildings around the city.
Perugia is a notable artistic center of Italy. The famous painter Pietro Vannucci, nicknamed
Perugino, was a native of Città della Pieve near Perugia. He decorated the local
Sala del Cambio with a beautiful series of frescoes; eight of his pictures can also be admired in the National Gallery of Umbria. Perugino was the teacher of
Raphael, the great
Renaissance artist who produced five paintings in Perugia (today no longer in the city) and one fresco.
Another famous painter,
Pinturicchio, lived in Perugia.
Galeazzo Alessi is the most famous architect from Perugia.
History
Perugia was an
Umbrian settlement
[Perugia (2007). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved May 21, 2007, from ] but first appears in written history as
Perusia, one of the twelve confederate cities of
Etruria;
it was first mentioned in
Q. Fabius Pictor's account, utilized by
Livy, of the expedition carried out against the Etruscan league by
Fabius Maximus Rullianus in 310 or 309 BC. At that time a thirty-year
indutiae (truce) was agreed upon; however, in 295 Perusia took part in the
Third Samnite War and was reduced, with Volsinii and Arretium (
Arezzo), to seek for peace in the following year.
In 216 and 205 BC it assisted Rome in the
Second Punic War but afterwards it is not mentioned until 41-40 BC, when
Lucius Antonius took refuge there, and was reduced by
Octavian after a long siege, and its senators sent to their death. A number of lead bullets used by slingers have been found in and around the city. The city was burnt, we are told, with the exception of the temples of
Vulcan and
Juno— the massive Etruscan terrace-walls, naturally, can hardly have suffered at all— and the town, with the territory for a mile round, was allowed to be occupied by whomever chose. It must have been rebuilt almost at once, for several bases for statues exist, inscribed
Augusto sacr(um) Perusia restituta; but it did not become a
colonia, until 251-253 AD, when it was resettled as
Colonia Vibia Augusta Perusia, under the emperor
C. Vibius Trebonianus Gallus.
It is hardly mentioned except by the geographers until it was the only city in Umbria to resist
Totila, who captured it and laid the city waste in 547, after a long siege, apparently after the city's Byzantine garrison evacuated. Negotiations with the besieging forces fell to the city's bishop,
Herculanus, as representative of the townspeople. Totila is said to have ordered the bishop to be
flayed and beheaded. St. Herculanus (Sant'Ercolano) later became the city's
patron saint.
In the
Lombard period Perugia is spoken of as one of the principal cities of
Tuscia. In the ninth century, with the consent of
Charlemagne and
Louis the Pious, it passed under the popes; but by the eleventh century its
commune was asserting itself, and for many centuries the city continued to maintain an independent life, warring against many of the neighbouring lands and cities—
Foligno,
Assisi,
Spoleto,
Todi,
Siena,
Arezzo, etc. In 1186
Henry VI,
rex romanorum and future emperor, granted diplomatic recognition to the
consular government of the city; afterward
Pope Innocent III, whose major aim was to give state dignity to the dominions having been constituting the
patrimony of St. Peter, acknowledged the validity of the imperial statement and recognized the established civic practices having the force of law.
[cf. Perugia, Raffaele Rossi, Attilio Bartoli Angeli, Roberta Sottani 1993 (Vol. 1, pp. 120-140)]thumb|280px|left|Medieval aqueduct.On various occasions the popes found asylum from the tumults of Rome within its walls, and it was the meeting-place of five
conclaves, including those which elected
Honorius III (1216),
Clement IV (1285),
Celestine V (1294), and
Clement V (1305); the papal presence was characterized by a pacificatory rule between the internal rivalries.
But Perugia had no mind simply to subserve the papal interests and never accepted papal sovereignty: the city used to exercise a jurisdiction over the members of the clergy, moreover in 1282 Perugia was excommunicated due to a new military offensive against the Ghibellines regardless of a papal prohibition. In the other hand side by side with the thirteenth-century bronze griffin of Perugia above the door of the
Palazzo dei Priori stands, as a Guelphic emblem, the
lion, and Perugia remained loyal for the most part to the Guelph party in the struggles of
Guelphs and Ghibellines. However this dominant tendency was rather an anti-Germanic and Italian political strategy.
The
Angevin presence in Italy appeared offer a counterpoise to papal powers: in 1319 Perugia declared the Angevin Saint
Louis of Toulouse "Protector of the city's sovereignty and of the Palazzo of its Priors" and set his figure among the other patron saints above the rich doorway of the
Palazzo dei Priori. At the half of the 14th century
Bartholus of Sassoferrato, who was a renowned jurist, asserted that Perugia was dependent upon neither imperial nor papal support.
In 1347, at the time of
Rienzi's unfortunate enterprise in reviving the Roman republic, Perugia sent ten ambassadors to pay him honour; and, when papal legates sought to coerce it by foreign soldiers, or to exact contributions, they met with vigorous resistance, which broke into open warfare with
Pope Urban V in 1369; in 1370 the noble party reached an agreement signing the treaty of
Bologna and Perugia was forced to accept a papal legate; however the vicar-general of the Papal States,
Gérard du Puy, Abbot of Marmoutier and nephew of
Gregory IX, was expelled by a popular uprising in 1375, and his fortification of Porta Sole was razed to the ground.
Civic peace was constantly disturbed in the fourteenth century by struggles between the party representing the people (
Raspanti) and the nobles (
Beccherini). After the assassination in 1398 of
Biordo Michelotti, who had made himself lord of Perugia, the city became a pawn in the
Italian Wars, passing to
Gian Galeazzo Visconti (1400), to
Pope Boniface IX (1403), and to
Ladislas of Naples (1408-14) before it settled into a period of sound governance under the
Signoria of the
condottiero Braccio da Montone (1416-24), who reached a concordance with the Papacy. Following mutual atrocities of the Oddi and the Baglioni families, power was at last concentrated in the Baglioni, who, though they had no legal position, defied all other authority, though their bloody internal squabbles culminated in a massacre, 14 July 1500.
was lured to Rome in 1520 and beheaded by
Leo X; and in 1540 Rodolfo, who had slain a papal legate, was defeated by
Pier Luigi Farnese, and the city, captured and plundered by his soldiery, was deprived of its privileges. A citadel known as the
Rocca Paolina, after the name of
Pope Paul III, was built, to designs of
Antonio da Sangallo the Younger "
ad coercendam Perusinorum audaciam."
thumb|upright|left|In the Rocca PaolinaIn 1797, the city was conquered by French troops. On
4 February 1798, the
Tiberina Republic was formed, with Perugia as capital, and the French
tricolour as flag. In 1799, the Tiberina Republic merged to the
Roman Republic.
In 1832, 1838, 1854 and 1997 Perugia was hit by earthquakes. Following the collapse of the
Roman republic of 1848-49, when the Rocca was in part demolished,
[cf. Touring Club Italiano, Guida d'Italia: Umbria (1966)] it was seized in May 1849 by the Austrians. In June 1859 the inhabitants rebelled against the temporal authority of the Pope and established a provisional government, but the insurrection was quashed bloodily by
Pius IX's troops. In September 1860 the city was united finally, along with the rest of
Umbria, as part of the
Kingdom of Italy.
Economy
Perugia has become famous for
chocolate, mostly because of a single firm,
Perugina, whose
Baci (kisses) are widely exported. Perugian chocolate is very popular in Italy, and the city hosts a chocolate festival every October.
Geography
Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria "
The green heart of Italy" (ref. www.regioneumbria.eu). Umbria is located between: Tuscany, Lazio and The Marche.
Cities distance from Perugia: Assisi 19 km, Siena 102 km, Florence 145 km, Rome 164 km.
Climate
Although located in Central Italy, Perugia experiences a
humid subtropical climate (
Köppen climate classification Cfa) similar to much of Northern Italy.
Demographics
In 2007, there were 163,287 people residing in Perugia, located in the province of Perugia,
Umbria, of whom 47.7% were male and 52.3% were female. Minors (children ages 18 and younger) totalled 16.41 percent of the population compared to pensioners who number 21.51 percent. This compares with the Italian average of 18.06 percent (minors) and 19.94 percent (pensioners). The average age of Perugia residents is 44 compared to the Italian average of 42. In the five years between 2002 and 2007, the population of Perugia grew by 7.86 percent, while
Italy as a whole grew by 3.85 percent.
As of 2006, 90.84% of the population was
Italian. The largest immigrant group came from other
European countries (particularly from
Albania and
Romania): 3.93%, the
Americas: 2.01%, and
North African: 1.3%. The majority of inhabitants are
Roman Catholic.
Education
Perugia today hosts two main universities, the ancient
Università degli Studi and the
Foreigners University (
Università per Stranieri).
Stranieri serves as an Italian language and culture school for students from all over the world. Other educational institutions are the Perugia Fine Arts Academy "Pietro Vannucci" (founded in 1573), the Perugia Music Conservatory for the study of classical music, and the RAI Public Broadcasting School of Radio-Television Journalism. The city is also host to the Umbra Institute, an accredited university program for American students studying abroad. The
Università dei Sapori (University of Tastes), a National centre for Vocational Education and Training in Food, is located in the city as well.
Frazioni
The
comune includes the
frazioni of Bagnaia, Bosco, Capanne, Casa del Diavolo, Castel del Piano, Cenerente, Civitella Benazzone, Civitella d'Arna, Collestrada, Colle Umberto I, Cordigliano, Colombella, Farneto, Ferro di Cavallo,
Fontignano, Fratticiola Selvatica, La Bruna, La Cinella, Lacugnano, Lidarno, Migiana di Monte Tezio, Monte Bagnolo, Monte Corneo, Montelaguardia, Monte Petriolo, Mugnano, Olmo, Parlesca, Pianello, Piccione, Pila, Pilonico Materno, Ponte della Pietra, Poggio delle Corti, Ponte Felcino, Ponte Pattoli, Ponte Rio, Ponte San Giovanni, Ponte Valleceppi, Prepo, Pretola, Ramazzano-Le Pulci, Rancolfo, Ripa, Sant'Andrea delle Fratte, Sant'Egidio, Sant'Enea, San Fortunato della Collina, San Giovanni del Pantano, Sant'Andrea d'Agliano, Santa Lucia, San Marco, Santa Maria Rossa, San Martino dei Colli, San Martino in Campo, San Martino in Colle, San Sisto, Solfagnano, Villa Pitignano.
Collestrada, in the
territorio of the suburb of Ponte San Giovanni, saw a battle between the inhabitants of Perugia and
Assisi in 1202.
Sights
Churches
thumb|200 px|Fontana Maggiore.- Church and abbey of San Pietro (late 16th century).
- Basilica of San Domenico (begun in 1394 and finished in 1458). It is located in the place where, in Middle Ages times, the market and the horse fair were held, and where the Dominicans settled in 1234. According to Vasari, the church was designed by Giovanni Pisano. The interior decorations were redesigned by Carlo Maderno, while the massive belfry was partially cut around mid-16th century. It houses examples of Umbrian art, including the precious tomb of Pope Benedict XI and a Renaissance wooden choir.
- Church of Sant'Angelo or of San Michele Arcangelo (it is the same) (5th-6th centuries). It is an example of Palaeo-Christian art with central plan recalling that of Santo Stefano Rotondo in Rome. It has 16 antique columns.
- Church of Sant' Ercolano (early 14th century). Currently resembling a polygonal tower, it had once two floors. The upper one was demolished when the Rocca Paolina was built. It includes Baroque decorations commissioned from 1607. The main altar is made of a 4th sarcophagus found in 1609.
- Church of Santa Giuliana, heir of a female monastery founded in 1253, which in its later years gained a reputation for dissoluteness, until the French turned it into a granary. It is now a military hospital. The church, with a single nave, has traces of the ancient frescoes (13th century), which probably covered all the walls. The cloister is a noteworthy example of Cistercian architecture of the mid-14th century, attributed to Matteo Gattapone. This is contemporary with the upper part of the campanile, whose base is from the 13th century.
Secular buildings
- The Palazzo dei Priori (Town Hall, encompassing the Collegio del Cambio, Collegio della Mercanzia, and Galleria Nazionale), one of Italy's greatest buildings. The Collegio del Cambio has frescoes by Pietro Perugino, while the Collegio della Mercanzia has a fine later 14th century wooden interior.
- the Rocca Paolina, a Renaissance fortress (1540-1543) of which only a bastion today is remaining. The original design was by Antonio and Aristotile da Sangallo, and included the Porta Marzia (3rd century BC), the tower of Gentile Baglioni's house and a mediaeval cellar.
Antiquities
thumb|200 px|Etruscan Arch.- the Ipogeo dei Volumni (Hypogeum of the Volumnus family), an Etruscan chamber tomb
- an Etruscan Well (Pozzo Etrusco).
- National Museum of Umbrian Archaeology, where one of the longest inscription in Etruscan is conserved , the so-called Cippus perusinus.
- Etruscan Arch (also known as Porta Augusta), an Etruscan gate with Roman elements.
Modern architecture
- Centro Direzionale (1982-1986), an administration civic center owned by the Umbria Region. The building was designed by the Pritzker Architecture prizewinner Aldo Rossi.
Art in Perugia
thumb|right|120px|Pietro Perugino, Self portrait
Perugia has had a rich tradition of art and artists. The
High Renaissance painter
Pietro Perugino created some of his masterpieces in the Perugia area. The other High Resaissance master
Raphael was also active in Perugia and painted his famous
Oddi Altar there in 1502-1504.
Today, the
Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria in Perugia houses a number of masterpieces, including the
Madonna with Child and six Angels which represents the
Renaissance Marian art of
Duccio. And the private
Art Collection of the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Perugia has two separate locations.
The
Collegio del Cambio is an extremely well preserved representation of a Renaissance building and houses a magnificent Pietro Perugino fresco.
Local events
- The Umbria Jazz Festival is one of the most important venues for Jazz in Europe and has been held annually since 1973, usually in July.
- The International Journalism Festival (Festival del Giornalismo), usually in October.
- Eurochocolate, usually in October.
Gallery of art in Perugia
Transport
thumb|MinimetròPerugia has taken drastic measures against car traffic. At certain hours of the day, driving is forbidden in the city centre. Large parking lots are provided in the lower town, from where
escalators lead up through the
Rocca Paolina into the city. Since 2008, a
MiniMetro is also in operation, with seven stations.
San Egidio Airport is located twelve kilometers outside the city.
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
Perugia has
twin and sister city agreements with the following cities:
See also
