Urbino, Italy

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Visit Urbino

Urbino is situated towards the north of the le Marche region and inland from Pesaro. Urbino is a very impressive walled town town with a remarkably well preserved medieval - renaissance centre. It is indisputably the highlight of a visit to this part of Italy, and must not be missed if you are in the vicinity!

Urbino is situated nearly 500 metres above sea level, on top of two hills that are part of the Apennines, between the valleys of the Foglia and Metauro Rivers. Urbino is a beautiful example of a city which has preserved almost intact the structure of its brightest period, that of the Renaissance - it was remodelled by Duke Federico da Montefeltro (1442-1482), who called to his court the most famous artists of the time to build the so-called "City of the Prince." The fame of the town and then even more enhanced because Raffaello Sanzio (1483-1520), a painter of international renown, was born here.

Urbino history

Although a small town had stood in this location as early as roman times, it started to gain in importance with a defensive role in the war between ithe goths and the Romans in the 6th century.

Moving forwards a few centuries, the town had become an important regional centre by the end of the 13th century. It was at its most prosperous in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, and much of the town that we see today dates from that period of prosperity, above all the period during which Federico de Montefeltro was the Duke of Urbino.

Palazzo Ducale, Urbino

The Palazzo Ducale that dominates Urbino is a very important renaissance masterpiece with a great deal of interest to discover. Federico de Montefeltro as a centre of learning and many of the most important renaissance characters stayed at the palace (the University of Urbino was established in 1506).

The most important building of the city, it was described by Baldassare Castiglione (1478-1529), author of "The Courtesan", not as a palace, but “a city with the form of a palace”. For the construction of the first Royal Palace of the Renaissance, the entire medieval town was rebuilt and it also had its shape changed because of the “Palazzo Ducale”. The work of the architects Luciano Laurana and Francesco di Giorgio Martini had to cope with difficult architectural problems because of the shape of the land on which stood Urbino. To Laurana is due, in particular, the courtyard and balconies. This is the most original part of the building - the façade is closed laterally by two slender towers, surmounted by pinnacles, and the centre boasts three overlapping arches. When Laurana left Urbino, in 1472, he was replaced by Francesco di Giorgio Martini, who brought the work almost to completion, including commissioning the decoration of the façade with wings that looks toward the inner city. The cornices of portals and windows, and various decorations in the main halls, were built by the Milanese sculptor Ambrogio Barocci ( XV century).

There is a great deal to enjoy in the palace, both the exterior facades eg the main facade with arches and towers to either side, and in the interior. A couple of the best highlights include:

The inner courtyard, a large open space lurrounded by the renaissance buildings, and with decorative arcades at ground level, and
The studiolo, once the office of the Duke, is a small room decorated with elaborate marquetry wooden panels creating trompe l'oeil effects, some designed by Botticelli
the grand staircase that leads to the rooms of the first floor of the palace

Galleria Nazionale delle Marche

The Palazzo Ducale also houses the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche which is one of the best collections of Renaissance paintings in the world, with many acknowledged masterpieces by the grand masters of the time (eg Flagellation by Piero della Francesca and a Resurrection by Titian). The Art Gallery includes works by local painter Federico Barocci (1535 ca-1612) and his school, Alvise Vivarini (1445-1505), Vittore Crivelli (1440-1502), Melozzo da Forlì (1438-1494), Andrea del Verrocchio (1437-1488), Luca Signorelli (1445-1523), Filippo Bellini (1434 ca.-1516). It also preserves a painting by Paolo Uccello depicting the "Communion of the Apostles." Among the masterpieces are the "Portrait of a Lady" by Raffaello (better known as "The Mute Woman"), attributable to the Florentine period of the artist. No less famous are two paintings by Piero della Francesca: the "Flagellation of Christ" and the “Madonna of Senigallia”. Also see two Titian paintings, "The Last Supper" and the "Resurrection" of Christ, works originally designed for the “Compagnia of ‘Corpus Domini’” in Urbino. Not to be overlooked is the valuable collection of Flemish tapestries invoice, custom-designed by Raffaello, which still adorn the sumptuous Throne Room.

Museums of archaeology and of ceramics are also situated in the palace complex.

In recognition of the importance of the Ducal Palace as one of the most important buildings in Italy it is now also a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Other Things to see in Urbino

Urbino is known above all for the magnificent renaissance Ducal Palace (Palace of the Dukes) that dominates the town (above). There are other sights of interest, and in addition to simply wandering around the historical centre enjoying the general lively atmosphere, numerous bars and restaurants and many characterful buildings you will see:

Urbino cathedral, rebuilt with a neoclassical facade at the end of the 18th century, after the earlier cathedral had been destroyed by an earthquake
a sprinkling of churches - a couple of the best of these are the Church of Sant'Agostino and the frescoed interior of the Church of San Giovanni Battista.
other palaces such as Palazzo Albani, Palazzo Odasi and Palazzo Passionei

Another interesting museum is the House of Raffaello. The painter was born here in 1483 and spent the first years of his life in contact with the art, learned in the workshop of his father, Giovanni Santi (1433-1494). The rooms of the house include a most charming courtyard with a well, sink and pestle to grind the colours and the bedroom of Raphael, which has preserved the fresco depicting the “Madonna and Child”, an early work of the artist.

Nearby, in the medieval quarter of “San Giovanni” [“St. John”], there are the Oratories of St. John and San Giuseppe [“St. Joseph”]. In the Oratory of St. John is preserved a cycle of frescoes of the early fifteenth century, performed by the brothers Salimbeni di Sanseverino (1416), an excellent witnesses of the "International Gothic". The Oratory of St. Joseph has a beautiful Crib by Federico Brandani (1520-1575)

Another extremely important religious building is the Church of San Francesco, of Romanesque-Gothic, built in the second half of the fourteenth century. It originally had two naves, but it was rebuilt between 1732 and 1751. Of the ancient church there is the only portal, with ornaments made by Constantino Trappola in 1516-1517. The interior has three naves, the central one wider than the side. The church houses the tombs of the parents of Raphael, and there are the shrines of some noble families of Urbino. Among the works to admire we mention the "Pardon of Assisi", by Barocci and a fresco of the fifteenth century.

Your visit to Urbino can finish with a look from above, from the “Fortezza Albornoz”, where we can enjoy the views of verdant countryside. The building is rectangular in shape and has two semi-circular towers on the inner side. The main door is located on the north side from where, via a ramp, you enter the terrace overlooking the entire city and surrounding area,

Other Urbino information

For a change of scenery visit the botanical gardens off via Bramante - they are more than 200 years old and contain an interesting and extensive selection of trees, plants and flowers.

The late 15th / early 16th century artist Raphael lived in Urbino and his house can be visited at Casa Natale di Raffaello (on via di Raffaello).

Various festivals are held in Urbino and if possible you could try and visit during one of these: a flower festival is held in May; a jazz festival in June and a festival of ancient music in July. During the summer, the second sunday in August sees the town turned over to medieval pageantry and costumes and historical reenactments.

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Urbino, Italy

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