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Visit Lugnano in Teverina
The small town of Lugnano in Teverina is situated on a on an isolated hill,in the Umbria region of italy to the south of Perugia.
The town is still surrounded by medieval walls, largely rebuilt by Pope Pius II. Lugnano not only has a very ancient past, but also a history of art worthy of special consideration.
Explore Lugnano in Teverina
The Medieval village and its Old Town are the centre of a visit to Lugnano in Teverina and consist of ancient palaces of great majesty and great visual impact, which are the elements that are of most interest to visitors.
The Via Umberto I is the main street through the old city on which the side streets converge, in a layout that was typical of Roman cities.
Ridolfi-Farnese Palace
Particularly noteworthy is the Ridolfi-Farnese Palace, called the "Pennone", so named precisely because it stands over the city. The building has a rectangular plan and is on three floors. The corners of the palace, the balustrades and the portals are made of rusticated travertine. This palace was the residence of the powerful family of Vannicelli from the Middle Ages (they were related to the Monaldeschi of Foligno). Until the eighteenth century the building was the seat of the Pope’s legates. Recently renovated, it is now the Town Hall.
The collection of the Civic Museum at Lugnano, which is located in the Town Hall, holds the relics of the Roman villa of Poggio Gramignano. The villa was built in the second half of the first century BC and it was inhabited until the second century BC. The museum contains geological and various building materials used in the villa.
Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunta
The Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunta is in the village center of Lugnano in Teverina, described by R. Hutton as a "magnificent Romanesque church" it is the most important monument in Lugnano in Tevrina. Built on a pre-existing religious building dating back to Lombard times in square blocks of travertine brought from the quarries next to the Tiber, this Church probably dates back to the years between the eleventh and early twelfth century, while the inscription on the façade indicates the thirteenth century.
The porch is the most original element of the building, supported by four columns and two half-side columns on the capitals of which rests a lintel. Above there are five low arches, which support the roof half-barrel. In the sides of the porch are mullioned windows, while the access to the church is through a single simple door. The capitals of the columns are of Corinthian style. A carved animal with a human headstands out, evidently a symbol of the fall of Adam.
Above the columns are the bas-reliefs depicting the symbols of the evangelists while on the sides animals and monstrous beings are painted , following the style of medieval churches. In the upper part of the façade is a large rose window of Umbrian style (consisting of two double rows of pillars) flanked by mullioned windows and a rose window above. In addition to the usual reliefs of the Evangelists and the Cosmatesque decoration, the rose window is flanked by two griffons that protrude significantly from the façade. An eagle crowns the pinnacle of the roof.
The interior has three naves and the columns have capitals variously carved with plants and geometric themes. In the Church there are numerous works of great artistic value, such as a triptych of Nicholas Liberatore* called “L’Alunno” (1430 -1502), depicting the Assumption and Saints, located in the apse.
In addition to the Crucifixion of the school of Giotto (fourteenth century), in the chapel there is also the "Beheading of St. John the Baptist”, by Livio Agresti* (1500 - 1580), signed and dated 1573. The grand staircase is enhanced with an extensive fresco painting his hand representing Philip of Arragon [1556-1598] submitting his kingdom to Pope Eugenius III [died 1153].
Finally, we note the presence of "San Gerolamo": the picture, published anonymously, is traditionally assigned to Leandro Bassano* (1557-1622).
Attractions near Lugnano in Teverina
Lugnano in Teverina is located in a landscape of remarkable beauty. Its territory, mostly a hilly area, spreads across vineyards and olive groves from which an oil of high quality is produced.
Among other local products, we mention the bread, and a famous cheese cake, known as the "St. Francis’s bocconcello". Saint Francis is particularly revered in Lugnano, because his figure is closely linked to the history of the city. In fact, in the area, there is the Church and the Convent of St. Francis erected on the site where, according to tradition, a miracle happened involving a duck and a wolf. The convent was founded in 1229 by the local community in memory of St. Francis, who in 1212 was passing through Lugnano.
See also history of Lugnano in Teverina
*For more information see notes about historical Italian painters
See the the Umbria travel guide for more places to visit in the same region as Lugnano in Teverina.