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Perugia, perugia italy

Town of Perugia, Umbria

Perugia is the capital city of the province of Perugia in the region of Umbria. It was founded by the Etruscans and was one of the major great cities of Etruria. The origins of the original Etruscan city walls are still visible today.

Perugia, perugia italyEtruscan Walls - Photo: Kurraudea

It was the home of many important artists such as Perugino, Pinturicchio, and Gerardo Dottori and later attracted important Renaissance artists such as Raphael, Pietro Aretino, Piero della Francesca, Luca Signorelli. Perugia was also the birthplace of the mathematician and astronomer Ignazio Danti who was famous for changing the calendar from Julian to Gregorian and for revolutioising modern cartography.

Perugia is a famous University town and has the University of Perugia, founded in 1308, which is one of the oldest universities in Italy. It is also home to L'Università degli Studi di Perugia (University for foreigners).

Perugia is rich in history and architecture and contains many famous monuments, making it an important international tourist destination. The large, historical centre is spread asymmetrically across a series of hillsides, a short distance from the River Tiber, and has successfully retained its original medieval appearance.

Perugia, perugia italy
Piazza IV Novembre - Photo: Luca Vanzella

Piazza IV Novembre is the oldest, and the main square in the old town, and is the centre of everything. This is certainly the place to sit sipping coffee, watching life go by and plan your itinerary for visiting all the stunning buildings and monuments in the city of Perugia. Many of the major tourist attractions are either located within or not too far away from Piazza IV Novembre.

Perugia, perugia italy
Perugia Cathedral - Photo: tetraktys

Perugia Cathedral (Cattedrale Metropolitana di San Lorenzo) is in Piazza IV Novembre and faces the Fontana Maggiore with the Palazzo dei Priori opposite. The Cathedral was built in the 15th century and contains interesting frescoes and paintings. It is dedicated to Saint Lawrence and has a musuem attached to it.

Perugia, perugia italy
Fontana Maggiore - Photo: trolvag

La Fontana Maggiore is one of the main monuments in the city and was commissioned in 1275 to celebrate the freedom of Perugia. It was designed with two levels and twenty five sides, with the sculptors Nicola and Giovanni Pisano given the task of making a sculpture for each portion. It is quite spectacular, with the subsequent sculptures representing the signs of the zodiac, prophet, saints, the monthly rural tasks, the history of Rome and biblical and mythological characters.

Perugia, perugia italy
Palazzo dei Priori - Photo: tetrakeys

Palazzo dei Priori was built between 1293 and 1297 with two extensions being added before the mid 15th century. It contains frescoes by Pietro Perugino and today it is the Town Hall. Contained within the Palazzo dei Priori is the Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria which has an impressive collection of the Umbrian School of painting, including several masterpieces.

The walls of the city are well worth exploring, with the original Estrucan walls on the inside and the Medieval walls on the outside. The Medieval walls are intact for quite a few miles and many of the main entrances are still there. The largest is Porta di Sant'Angelo and at the foot of another one, Porta di San Pietro, there is a medieval vegetable garden. Parts of the original Etruscan walls, built in the third century BC, are still visible. The areas around the doors are the most prominent with the most complete being the Estruscan Arch of Augustus. The other doors are Porta Marzia, Porta Trasimena, Porta Sole, Porta Eburnea and Porta Cornea.

Perugia, perugia italy
The Etruscan Arch - Photo: JSBach16853

The Etruscan Arch (also known as Porta Augusta) was the largest of the access gates to the old city and is located in the northern portion of the Etruscan city walls. It has a single archway, two towers, an ornate frieze and an elegant Renaissance loggia which was added in 16th century.

Rocca Paolina was built 1540 and 1543 at the behest of Pope Paul III to punish the Perugians for having rebelled against taxes on salt. Until the late 19th century Rocca Paolina was a symbol of the papal power over the ancient city. Originally a large builing extending out from the current Piazza Italia, not much remains today other than the a bastion and the extensive medieval cellars.

Perugia, perugia italy
The Etruscan Well - Photo: Sissibeppo

Il Pozzo Etrusco (Estrucan well) is around 36 metres deep and is dug into the rock bank. It was built to contain 423 cubic metres of water arriving from three different springs. The well was drained in 1996 to allow for exploration and photographing of the construction.

Perugia is often referred to as the 'City of Chocolate' as it has a large chocolate making industry, on of the main companies being Perugina who make the world famous 'Baci' chocolates. Every year, usually in the month of October, the city hosts a massive chocolate festival which attracts visitors from far and wide.

Another festival for which the city is famous is the Umbria Jazz Festival. This has taken place every year since 1973, normally in July, and is of the most important venues for Jazz in Europe.

Perugia
Population: 166.676
Male: 79.356
Female: 87.320
Population density: 449,92 per square km

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Perugia, perugia italy

More Details

Flag of Umbria
Location of Umbria
Provinces of Umbria
  • Comunes of Umbria
    • Perugia
      • Assisi
        Bastia Umbra
        Bettona
        Bevagna
        Campello sul Clitunno
        Cannara
        Cascia
        Castel Ritaldi
        Castiglione del Lago
        Cerreto di Spoleto
        Citerna
        Città della Pieve
        Città di Castello
        Collazzone
        Corciano
        Costacciaro
        Deruta
        Foligno
        Fossato di Vico
        Fratta Todina
        Giano dell’Umbria
        Gualdo Cattaneo
        Gualdo Tadino
        Gubbio
        Lisciano Niccone
        Magione
        Marsciano
        Massa Martana
        Monte Castello di Vibio
        Monte Santa Maria Tiberina
        Montefalco
        Monteleone di Spoleto
        Montone
        Nocera Umbra
        Norcia
        Paciano
        Panicale
        Passignano sul Trasimeno
        Perugia
        Piegaro
        Pietralunga
        Poggiodomo
        Preci
        San Giustino
        Sant’Anatolia di Narco
        Scheggia e Pascelupo
        Scheggino
        Sellano
        Sigillo
        Spello
        Spoleto
        Todi
        Torgiano
        Trevi
        Tuoro sul Trasimeno
        Umbertide
        Valfabbrica
        Vallo di Nera
        Valtopina

    • Terni
      • Acquasparta
        Allerona
        Alviano
        Amelia
        Arrone
        Attigliano
        Avigliano Umbro
        Baschi
        Calvi dell’Umbria
        Castel Giorgio
        Castel Viscardo
        Fabro
        Ferentillo
        Ficulle
        Giove
        Guardea
        Lugnano in Teverina
        Montecastrilli
        Montecchio
        Montefranco
        Montegabbione
        Monteleone d’Orvieto
        Narni
        Orvieto
        Otricoli
        Parrano
        Penna in Teverina
        Polino
        Porano
        San Gemini
        San Venanzo
        Stroncone
        Terni

Hotels in Umbria
UmbriaWEATHER
Umbria Climate (Perugia)
  High Low Sun Rain
Jan 15 8 4 63
Feb 15 8 4 52
Mar 17 9 5 43
Apr 19 11 6 31
May 24 15 7 17
Jun 28 18 9 9
Jul 31 22 10 6
Aug 31 22 9 9
Sep 28 19 7 29
Oct 24 16 6 53
Nov 20 12 4 63
Dec 17 10 4 59
Table Key:
High - Average monthly high temperatures
Low - Average monthly low temperatures
Sun - Average hours of sunshine per day
Rain - Average monthly rainfall in mm
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