Umbria OnLine
  
Eco-Skin Care
Eco-Skin Care
Direttamente dal Costruttore
Direttamente dal Costruttore
Ospitalità di lusso dal 1922
Ospitalità di lusso dal 1922
Immobili in classe A
Immobili in classe A
Perugia Perugia Perugia
PERUGIA

The Rocca Paolina



Serafino Siepi (1776-1829) wrote that the building of the Rocca Paolina was practically finished in just three years. The fortress covered a vast area over the Colle Landone district, formerly known as one of the finest quarters of the city. Very little remains of the fortress today, although a number of period prints, drawings and paintings give an idea of just how imposing this structure must have been once.

An Impregnable Fortress. The Tough Side of the Vatican
The fortress, vaguely square in design, stood in the area now occupied by Piazza Italia, facing more or less in the same direction as the existing Palazzo della Provinca. Two defence towers looked guarded the main facade, looking down over Piazza Grande and Piazza Piccola, now Piazza IV Novembre and Piazza Matteotti). The keep, surmounted by three large crenellations, stood between the two defence towers. The middle of the three crenellations contained the flag pole.

The upper section of the facade contained a niche with a life-size terracotta statue of a seated Pope Paul III in the act of blessing. Five marble coats of arms carved by Simone Mosca da Settignano and Ludovico Scalza da Orvieto adorned the massive entrance to the fortress. A deep moat surrounded the entire perimeter of the fortress, which was also equipped with a drawbridge. A wall extended from the Piazza Grande defence tower, stretching towards the Porta del Soccorso. A little further onwards a fortified corridor led downwards.


A Symbol of the Dominion of the Popes
Although for the inhabitants of Perugia the Rocca Paolina epitomised their rancours towards the Church, it never actually had to perform the function for which it was erected. The garrisons of Papal troops stationed at the fortress were in fact nicknamed “smoke guards” on account of the utter pointlessness of their vigilance. Presumably, however, they would have been the first target should the citizens of Perugia have decided to rebel against the Pope.

When Napoleon's armies descended through Italy, in 1798 the city of Perugia saw its chance to throw off the Papal dominion. The statue of Paul III was hurled down into the moat, part of the inscriptions on the fortress were erased and the coats of arms that had decorated the keep were damaged.

But a number of years had still to elapse before the citizens of Perugia were able to completely rid themselves of their hated fortress. In 1800 Cardinal Rivarola ordered the moat in front of the keep to be filled in, thereby creating a large square (now Piazza Italia) that was named after him. In 1805 work got underway to restore the fortress and fill in all the remaining moats, to open up new access roads into the city.


Anyone feeling a bit peckish after their visit to the ruins of the fortress should seek some restorative solace at the Osteria del Gambero, Via Baldeschi 17 (Duomo) Perugia. Closed Mondays. Tel. (+39) 075.5735.461.

© Copyright 2001-2012 by UmbriaOnline.com

Top

Perugia Perugia
CITIES OF UMBRIA
Acquasparta
Allerona
Alviano
Amelia
Arrone
Assisi
Attigliano
Avigliano Umbro
Baschi
Bastia Umbra
Bettona
Bevagna
Calvi dell'Umbria
Campello sul Clitunno
Cannara
Cascia
Castel Giorgio
Castel Ritaldi
Castel Viscardo
Castiglione del Lago
Cerreto di Spoleto
Citerna
Citta della Pieve
Citta di Castello
Collazzone
Corciano
Costacciaro
Deruta
Fabro
Ferentillo
Ficulle
Foligno
Fossato di Vico
Fratta Todina
Giano dell'Umbria
Giove
Gualdo Cattaneo
Gualdo Tadino
Guardea
Gubbio
Lisciano Niccone
Lugnano in Teverina
Magione
Marsciano
Massa Martana
Monte Castello di Vibio
Monte Santa Maria Tiberina
Montecastrilli
Montecchio
Montefalco
Montefranco
Montegabbione
Monteleone di Spoleto
Monteleone d'Orvieto
Montone
Narni
Nocera Umbra
Norcia
Orvieto
Otricoli
Paciano
Panicale
Parrano
Passignano sul Trasimeno
Penna in Teverina
PERUGIA
Piegaro
Pietralunga
Poggiodomo
Polino
Porano
Preci
San Gemini
San Giustino
San Venanzo
Sant Anatolia di Narco
Scheggia e Pascelupo
Scheggino
Sellano
Sigillo
Spello
Spoleto
Stroncone
TERNI
Todi
Torgiano
Trevi
Tuoro sul Trasimeno
Umbertide
Valfabbrica
Vallo di Nera
Valtopina
PING

 
PERUGIA News

PERUGIA
Appointments & Events
Bed & Breakfast in Perugia
Comitato Linguistico - Italian Language Course for Foreigners - Perugia, Italy
Italian School for Foreigners
Eurochocolate 2009
Villas
Apartments
Restaurants
Pizzerie
Hotels
Country Houses
Holiday Farms
Bed & Breakfast
Residence
Resorts
Weather Forecast in Perugia
Cooking Course in Perugia
The Berti Oil Press of the Perugia Hills
Useful Numbers
Information: Perugia Città Museo
Visit to the Museums of Perugia
Golfing in Perugia
Perugino’s Last Works at Fontignano
San Sisto - An Impregnable Fortress
Civitella d’Arna - At the Centre of the Valley of the Umbrians
St Orfeto - A Mysterious Roman Legionary
Ripa.."dolcissimo ai mortali almo soggiorno"
Typical products
The Route of the Four Bell Towers
Monte Tezio: a Natualist's Paradise
Stepping into Another Dimension at Mugnano
Santa Maria di Cenerente and the Monferrato Marauders
The Fontana Maggiore
The Rocca Paolina
Palazzo dei Priori
Etruscan Burial Grounds in Perugia
Pila: an Archaeologist's Paradise
Embroidery Classes in Perugia
Umbrian Textiles and Embroidery Tour - Giuditta Brozzetti
Umbrian Textiles and Embroidery Tour - Ceccucci Tessuti
 Regional News by Category

MUSIC
EXHIBITIONS
COURSES
COMPETITIONS & PRIZES
FOLKLORE
EVENTS
DANCE & BALLET
MEETING & CONFERENCES
CONGRESS
KIDS
Typical Products FAIRS
THEATRE
SPORT EVENTS
LEISURE
LIFESTYLE
WHERE TO DINNER
NIGHTLIFE
CURIOSITY
VIDEO
BOOKS


PERUGINO AREA 
Province: Perugia
Area: Perugino (Corciano; Deruta; Perugia; Torgiano;)


comprensorio Perugino

INFORMATION 


FIGURES
Province: Perugia
Area: Perugino
Altitude: 493 m s.l.m.
Surface: 444.92 kmq
Population: 161944 (01.01.07; Istat)
Inhabitants name: Perugini
ZIP 06100
Tel. area code: 075

Localities: Bagnaia, Bosco, Capanne, Castel del Piano, Cenerente, Città della Domenica, Civitella Benazzone, Collestrada, Colle Umberto I, Colombella, Ferro di Cavallo, Fontignano, Fratticiola Selvatica, La Bruna, La Cinella, Lacugnano, Olmo, Migiana di Monte Tezio, Montebello, Monte Corneo, Monte Petriolo, Mugnano, Parlesca, Pianello, Piccione, Pila, Pilonico Materno, Poggio delle Corti, Poggio della Pietra, Ponte Felcino, Ponte Pattoli, Ponte Rio, Ponte S. Giovanni, Ponte Valleceppi, Prepo, Pretola, Ramazzano, Rancolfo, Ripa, S. Fortunato della Collina, S. Giovanni del Pantano, San Marco, San Martino in Colle, San Sisto, Santa Lucia, Sant'Egidio, Sant'Enea, Solfagnano, Villa Pitignano, Santa Maria Rossa.

Comune di Perugia
Palazzo dei Priori Tel. 0755771 Fax 0755735300

Provincia di Perugia
Piazza Italia, 11 Tel. 0755747/1 n. verde 800013474

Some Famous Personalities: Baldo degli Ubaldi (giurista, 1319-1400); Braccio Fortebracci (condottiero, 1368-1424); Fiorenzo di Lorenzo (pittore, 1440-1525); Bernardino di Betto, detto il Pinturicchio (pittore, 1454-1513); Malatesta II Baglioni (condottiero, 1491-1513); Galeazzo Alessi (architetto,1512-1572); Vincenzo Danti (scultore, 1530-1576), Luigi Canali (scenziato, 1759-1814); Annibale Mariotti (medico, 1737-1801); Francesco Morlacchi (musicista, 1784-1841); Orazio Antinori (esploratore, 1811-1882); Luigi Bonazzi (storico, 1811-1879); Ariodante Fabbretti (storico, 1816-1894); Alinda Brunacci Brunamonti (poeta, 1841-1903); Giuseppina Pasqua (cantante, 1882-1982); Gerardo Dottori (pittore, 1884-1977); Aldo Capitini (filosofo, 1899-1969); Sandro Penna (poeta, 1906-1977).




SCG Business Consulting S.a.s. di Giacomelli E. & C. - Internet Advertising Division - © 2001-2012 All Rights Reserved - P.IVA 01675690562