Orvieto

Orvieto is situated in the Umbria region and it’s one of the world’s most beautiful hill towns. You can recognize the town from afar, standing at the top the rocks of tuff with medieval towers and cathedral in the center, that will leave you breathless. From the 9th Century BC the Etruscan civilization experienced a period of great importance and splendor, Orvieto, then is was the most important town. Today, Orvieto is divided into 4 quarters: Corsica, Serancia, Olmo and Santa Maria della Stella.

Your tour can begin with the main road (Corso Cavour), that runs through most of the old town, which connects the two main squares: Piazza Cahen and Piazza della Repubblica. Orvieto is a city full of impressive monuments, churches and buildings – where some are over 2,000 years old San Giovenale church is oldest church of Orvieto, and one of the oldest in Umbria. Church was built right over the remains of an Etruscan temple in 1004, and is outlined by a very beautiful area of the city with many narrow streets. This area of Orvieto was the first to be developed in the Middle Ages.

The Torre del Moro is at the crossroads of the two main streets located where Corso Cavour crosses Via del Duomo. Duomo you can find in Piazza del Duomo,and this is one amazing masterpiece of Gothic and Romanesque architecture. Construction of Duomo was commissioned by Pope Urban IV,and began in 1290, but took couple hundred years to fully complete. The facade is decorated with detailed mosaics in stunning colors and pure gold, as well as large reliefs and statues.

The reliefs on the facade represent Old and New Testament biblical stories, and are considered to be one of the best 14th Century sculptures. Inside the Duomo are two important chapels. In the center of the Duomo sits twelve monumental statues of the Apostles that were built between the late sixteenth and early eighteenth century. These statues, like many other precious objects and works formerly in the Duomo, will be part of a project for the expansion and relocation of the Museum dell’Opera del Duomo, in the Palazzo Soliano.

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On the construction of the cathedral worked many famous artists of the time,like:Arnolfo di Cambio, Lorenzo Maitani,Andrea di Cione (l’Orcagna), Piero di Puccio,Antonio Federighi, Michele Sanmicheli,…

Lovers of history should not miss to see the Orvieto Underground. We recommended to take a one hour guided tour of underground caves and paths that are over 2000 years old. Guides will show you underground and the magical well,called Pozzo di San Patrizio (St. Patrick’s Well). Pozzo di San Patrizio is definitely, one of the most architecturally unique in the world! Inside has two elliptical staircases that never meet throughout the well shaft.

The project was made by Antonio da Sangalo(1484 –1546), the great architect, who was commissioned by Pope Clement VII. You can climb the well’s 248 steps (deep 53,15 meters) to personally experience this evocative and ingenious architectural concept.

For wine lowers, Orvieto have very tasty white wine,Orvieto classico. The main grape varieties that combine to produce the Orvieto are Trebbiano Toscano, which is accompanied by Grechetto for a minimum of 60%, the remaining 40% can be used white grape varieties permitted in Umbria. Orvieto is a very precious wine and fragrant, beautiful savory and goes perfetamente with baked fish, spaghetti with clams and vegetarian pizzas and / or four-cheese is great harmony.

Orvieto is definitely a city that should be visited at least once in life.