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PERUGIA
From an artistic point of
view, there are very few finds from the initial period: (Sarcophagus
from the 4th Century BC), instead, a large part of the Etruscan
wall has been conserved in travertine blocks, for approximately
3 km’s along the perimeter, containing many open doorways
(Arco della Mandorla, Porta di San Luca, Porta Sole, Porta
di Sant’Ercolano).
Amongst the rest, the one known as
Arco Etrusco or Arco di Augusto is notable, together with
the remains of the Porta Marzia, also dating back to around
the III-II Century BC, included in the Rocca Paolina bastion.
The vast necropolises, of the (Santa Caterina Vecchia, Sperandio,
Monteluce, Monterone and San Costanzo) are of particular interest,
and l'ipogeo dei Volumni uncovered in the locality of the
Palazzone. The plans of the tomb, dug out in the rock, imitate
the plans of an Etruscan habitation. The restoration should
also be cited, as it allowed the subsoil of Piazza Piccinino
to be utlized, as a huge Etruscan well was dug out of volcanic
tuff, 37 metres deep and around 5 metres in diameter: it’s
probably the most ancient well which was constructed in the
Etruscan City, and used as a cistern in the interior of the
fortified rock. The National Archaeological Museum of Umbria,
distinct in its Etruscan-Roman and pre-historic sections,
preserves a notable quantity of archaeological finds from
the whole area.
The most important monuments from the medieval era are the
Church of Sant’Angelo, a circular building from the
V-VI centuries, Sand Pietro, constructed around 1000, with
Renaissance adaptations (the tower is from 1468). During the
communal era there was a general artistic revival, with purely
significant examples like the Palazzo dei Priori (1293-1443),
a marvellous example of civil Gothic architecture, which today
hosts the National Gallery of Umbria, the Cathedral of San
Lorenzo, begun around the mid 14th Century. But the most famous
monument of this period is the Fonte Maggiore (in the centre
of the main City square), work of Nicola Pisano and his son
Giovani.
The Renaissance began in 1423 with the Loggia di Braccio Fortebracci,
but was affirmed by Agostino di Duccio from Florence, author
of the Oratorio di San Bernardino, notable mostly for its
plastic decoration, and the Porta San Pietro.
The presence and activity of Tuscan artists in Perugia, from
halfway through the century, gave life to the pictorial school
of Umbria: the main protagonists of this renewal were Perugino
(whose most famous work in the City was a series of frescoes
in the Collegio del Cambio, which also saw some participation
from his student, Raffaello) and Pinturicchio.
Another notable museum, other than the aforementioned National
Gallery of Umbria in Palazzo dei Priori, is the Museo dell’Opera
del Duomo (Museum containing works from the Cathedral), with
paintings from the Umbrian School and numerous objects and
manuscripts which come from the Cathedral.
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