Città di Castello is the most important center of the upper valley of the Tiber, 57 km from Perugia. Today is famous for being the home of Alberto Burri (Citta di Castello 1915 - Nice 1995), one of the most famous Italian artists after the World War II, to whom the Collection Burri is dedicated, in Palace Albizzini and in the former Tobacco industry.
Cittàa di Castello was founded by the Umbrians, even though there is evidence of an Etruscan presence in the area, especially west of the Tiber. The city was allied with Rome, to which it was submitted in the first century BC, with the name of Tifernum Tiberium. Soon the city flourished, thanks to the gens Pliny, and in particular to Pliny the Younger, who owned a large estates and a villa near the city. The spread of Christianity took place through the work of Crescenziano, martyred near Citta di Castello in the early fourth century. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the city was plundered and destroyed by the Goths of Totila in the sixth century, before being rebuilt at the behest of Bishop Florido, who is now the patron saint of the city. During the Lombard domination the settlement was called Civitas Felicitatis; the city, during the domination of the Franks, was named Civats Castles, and in the thirteenth century was organized as an independent municipality. The following years witnessed an expansion of the domains of the city, which also results in battles with neighboring cities, notably Florence and Perugia. In 1422 the city was assigned by Pope Martin V to Fortebraccio da Montone, but thereafter, the domination was contested between important families in the city, particularly the Fucci, the Giustini and Vitelli. They managed to gain power, which they kept until the end of the sixteenth century, except for a brief period when the power was held by Cesare Borgia, called Valentino. In later centuries the power remained in the hands of the Papal States until its annexation to the Kingdom of Italy.
Città di Castello has many monuments and historic buildings, specifically through the worship of Vitelli, which beautify the city, building churches and palaces, such as the Palazzo Vitelli, in Piazza Matteotti. The Vitelli family built four great palaces in the city, one for each of the four districts. One of these is the Palazzo Vitelli alla Cannoniera, built between 1521 and 1532 at the behest of Alessandro Vitelli, designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. There is established the Pinacoteca Comunale di Città di Castello, which houses many masterpieces including works by: Raphael, Luca Signorelli, Giovanni and Andrea della Robbia, Raffaellino of the hill and Pomarancio, aka Domenico Ghirlandaio. The city is surrounded by a ring of walls, remained almost completely intact.
Accomodations in Città di Castello:
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Frazioni of Città di Castello: Antirata, Astucci, Badiali, Badia Petroia, Barzotti, Baucca San Martino d'Upò, Belvedere, Bisacchi, Bonsciano, Caifirenze, Candeggio, Canoscio, Capitana, Celle, Cerbara, Cinquemiglia, Colcello, Coldipozzo, Cornetto, Croce di Castiglione, Fabbrecce, Fiume, Fraccano, Grumale, Lerchi, Lugnano, Madonna di Canoscio, Montemaggiore, Monte Ruperto, Morra, Muccignano, Nuvole, Palazzone, Petrelle, Piosina, Promano, Riosecco, Roccagnano, Ronti, Rovigliano, San Leo Bastia, San Lorenzo Bibbiana, San Maiano, San Martin Pereto, San Pietro a Monte, San Secondo, Santa Lucia, Scalocchio, Terme di Fontecchio, Trestina, Uppiano, Userna, Userna Bassa, Valdipetrina, Vallurbana, Vingone, Volterrano
This beautiful land is still able to keep alive the spirit of quality food and good wine.