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FIGURES
Province: Perugia
Area: Eugubino
Altitude: 500 m s.l.m.
Surface: 525.08 kmq
Population: 32564 (01.01.07; Istat)
Inhabitants name: Eugubini
ZIP 06024
Tel. area code: 075
Localities: Bellugello, Belvedere, Biscina, Branca, Burano, Caicanbiucci, Camporeggiano, Carbonesca, Carpiano, Casa Morcia, Case Corso, Colpalombo, Corraduccio, Loreto Basso, Madonna della Cima, Mocaiana, Montanaldo, Monteleto, Montelviano, Padule, Pisciano, Ponte d’Assi, S. Bartolomeo, S. Benedetto Vecchio, S. Marco, S. Martino in Colle, S. Cristina, S. M. di Colonnata, Scritto, Semonte, Serra Brunamonti, Torre Calzolari, Via Macchia
Comune di Gubbio
Via XX Settembre, 1 Tel. 07592371 Fax 0759275378
Famous Personalities: S. Ubaldo (1080-1160); Oderisi da Gubbio (miniaturista, XIII sec.); Matteo di Giovannello, detto il Gattapone (architetto, XIV sec.); Guido Palmerucci (pittore, XIV sec.); Martino, Ottaviano e Tommaso Nelli (pittori, sec. XIV-XV); Bosone Raffaelli (scrittore, sec. XIII—XIV); Giorgio Andreoli detto Mastro Giorgio (ceramista, sec. XV-XVI); famiglia Maffei (intagliatori, sec. XVI); Giuseppe Mazzatinti (letterato, 1855-1905).
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The first road, towards Perugia, leads past the 17th century church of Madonna del Prato. Its finely crafted facade conceals a Greek cross interior layout with an elliptical cupola decorated with the magnificent fresco of 'Glory of Paradise' (1674-78) by Francesco Allegrini, who also painted the altar piece depicting the 'Martyrdom of St Stephen' on the left hand altar
Not far off, beyond the Camignano river in Via della Piaggiola, stands the church of Santa Maria della Piaggiola, erected in the first half of the 17th century to honour a 'Madonna with Child' by Ottaviano Nelli in fact painted for the previously existing 14th century church. The 'Pietà' (~1444) by Domenico di Cecco also adorned the previous structure. Although the exterior is unfinished, the interior of the church contains surprisingly rich and finely crafted stucco decorations.
Back on the main road to Perugia, shortly before the village of Scritto a short deviation leads to the abbey of San Verecondo or Vallingegno, rebuilt in the 13th century over a previously existing building. The small apsed crypt dates from the 11th century and contains a late-Imperial Roman ark that contains the remains of the martyr St Verecondo. A short distance down from the abbey stands the castle of Vallingegno, a powerful forrtress that is dominated by a high keep and which made up a defence line of the left hand bank of the river Chiascio along with the other castles of Petroia, Biscina and Coccorano.
Further along the same road, an ancient feudal castle with the small village of Torre Calzolari stands on a hillock not far off. The Guelph crenellations, based on Palazzo dei Consoli, and the loggia are 19th century Romantic additions to the original structure. Today the castle is a hotel. The last castle in the line of defences along the Gubbio valley stands to the south-east of the city, near Branca. It is the castle of Colmollaro, where the poet Dante is said to have stayed guest of the Raffaelli counts. Traces of the original grandiose feudal structure of the building, with another tower, are still visible today.
