Art in Tuscany | The Orvieto Cathedral or Duomo di Orvieto | Podere Santa Pia, Holiday house in the south of Tuscany

Orvieto

The Duomo of Orvieto is one of the most important examples of Gothic architecture in Italy. Gothic style architecture in Italy developed substantial differences from its European equivalent, chiefly due to the different cultural heritage of the Italian peninsula and the particular historical moment, characterised by comuni and free city states, in which this form of architecture gained a foothold here.

Orvieto’s Gothic cathedral, which is one of the most celebrated in Italy, was begun in 1290 to commemorate the miracle at Bolsena, a town situated just to the southwest, where in 1263 a priest witnessed the miraculous appearance of drops of blood on a Host that he was consecrating. His host was bleeding so much that it stained the altar cloth. The cloth is now stored in the Chapel of the Corporal inside the cathedral.

One of the high points of Italian architecture throughout the ages, the façade of the Duomo of Orvieto is structured like a tryptich, and is richly decorated in a dazzling profusion of polychrome marble, sculptures and mosaic. The median entrance and the central rose window are 14th century, designed by Andrea Orgagna.
The three-nave interior is partly Romanesque in style, as in the transept that cuts across the central block of the building forming a cross shape. The presbyterium, a part of the church that was reserved only for the clergy, is Gothic.
Compared with other cathedrals in Europe, the Duomo of Orvieto is less formally linear and uses a greater variety of materials.

The Duomo is also known for the Last Judgement cycle of frescoes by Luca Signorelli. The cycle had in fact been started by Beato Angelico, who was aided by Benozzo Gozzoli.
Contrary to the trend in Europe at the time, Gothic architects in Italy designed large, flat surfaces on the interior walls of their cathedrals, so that painters could cover them in frescoes. The independent free city states vied with each other and with the powerful abbeys in securing the work of the finest painters of the time.
Artists were able to elaborate a personal concept of painting that resulted in a new way of depicting interiors. Landscape came to be painted as something living. Greater attention was given to observing the individual and new peaks of elegance were attained in both form and use of colour.

The magnificent bronze portals of the Duomo were completed by Emilio Greco, a sculptor whose name has become synonymous with Orvieto also thanks to the collection of 32 bronze sculptures and 60 graphic works and prints that he donated to the city and which are currently housed in the 14th century Palazzo Soliano, next to the cathedral[Museo Emilio Greco].

Art in Tuscany | Luca Signorelli | Fresco Cycle in the San Brizio Chapel, Cathedral, Orvieto

Opening hours of the Cathedral November 1st – February 28th 7.30am-12.45pm ; 2.30-5.15pm March and October 7.30am-12.45pm ; 2.30-6.15pm April 1st – September 20th 7.30am-12.45pm ; 2.30-7.15pm Info: Tel. +39 0763.340336 \| Tel. +39 0763.343592 Umbria is a land-locked region in the heart of central Italy, between Tuscany to the west and Le Le Marche to the east. The capital of the region, Perugia, is centrally placed, and the ancient city of Spoleto is well located for exploring the southern part of Umbria. To the north-west of the region, Lake Trasimeno (and the village of Castiglione del Lago) is an attractive destination. The axis that passes down through the centre of Umbria from Perugia to Spoleto via Assisi passes the ancient town of Foligno and some attractive villages en-route, including Gubbio to the north and Spello and Montefalco further south. Trevi and Bevagna should also be high on your list of attractive villages in this region. Head to the east for the fine mountain scenery of Monti Sibillini, being sure to stop off to explore Norcia on the way. The scenery of the Valnerina region is equally enticing - more rolling than mountainous, and very worthy of being explored. Located on a plateau of volcanic tuff, the impressive city of Orvieto is surrounded by a stupendous landscape of fields and vineyards; the unbreachable walls appear to encircle the city rather than elevate it, as though it were a fortress rising on the flat valley floor of the river Paglia. Orvieto still preserves its charming Medieval character, thanks to its location, to its Etruscan roots and to its celebrated Cathedral. Orvieto, in the southern end of the Umbria region of central Italy, is situated on a tuff cliff with overhanging walls, which dominates the plain below. Orvieto flourished in the Middle Ages when it became a powerful Comune. The majestic monuments of this period include the Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo, the Torre del Moro and the Torre di Maurizio, at one corner of Piazza del Duomo. But Orvieto is known above all for its Duomo (Cathedral), this incredible example of Italian Gothic architecture. The cathedral houses many works of art, with pride of place going to the San Brizio chapel and Luca Signorelli's frescoes of the End of the World (1499-1504). The “figurative opulence” (J.Riess) of the Cappella Nuova is one of the best known masterpieces of Renaissance Italian art. Beato Angelico and Luca Signorelli worked on the decorations of the entire chapel. Cities in Italy \| Orvieto Tuscany is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Known for its enchanting landscapes, its fantastic and genuine food and beautiful towns as Florence, Pisa, Lucca and Siena. The strategical geographical position in southern Tuscany will give you the opportunity of arriving in Siena and other important cities of art in Tuscany, such as San Gimignano, Volterra and Massa Marittima. Podere Santa Pia is located in the heart of the Valle d'Ombrone, and one can easily reach some of the most beautiful attractions of Tuscany, such as Montalcino, Pienza, Montepulciano and San Quirico d'Orcia, famous for their artistic heritage, wine, olive oil production and gastronomic traditions. It is the ideal place to enjoy the beauty of Tuscany – both its cuisine and its historical towns – and to pass a very relaxing holiday in contemplation of nature, with the advantage of tasting the most typical dishes of Tuscan cuisine and its best wines. The extreme simplicity of Tuscan cuisine is its strongest strength, as the flavours that emerge during the cooking process are vibrant and pure. A little known fact about Tuscan cuisine is that the French learned how to cook from their Tuscan counterparts when it was imported by Catherine de' Medici into the court of Henry II. The Tuscan style of cooking is richly flavoured and wholesome. With its original kitchen and the wood burning pizza oven, Casa Santa Pia offers an upbeat atmosphere.


Monte Cucco wine region
	Castel Viscardo	Lago Corbara and Orvieto




Spoleto, Duomo	Abbey of Sant 'Antimo	Montalcino

Italy has a great number of cathedrals, many of them in the Tuscany region. There isn't one single city in Tuscany known as the "Cathedral City," but many Tuscan cities have cathedrals. Many of the cathedral churches are important architectural, historical and ecclesiastical monuments filled with significant works of art, and those in Florence, Pisa, Siena and Lucca are among the most beautiful in all of Italy. "Duomo" is the Italian word for cathedral. The word "cathedra" in Latin means a chair or throne, and the Greek "kathedra" means a seat. Cathedrals are consecrated by the Roman Catholic Church. A church must meet certain criteria in order to be designated as a cathedral. A cathedral is the official church where a bishop holds his permanent episcopal throne. From an administrative standpoint, it is the mother church of a diocese. The Duomo of Florence Florence's Duomo is one of the most familiar sites in Italian architecture. Filippo Brunelleschi's grand dome dominates the city skyline and is one of the most important feats of engineering and architecture from the Renaissance era. The rest of the building was designed in 1334 by Giotto, who was also famous as a painter. It is the fourth largest cathedral in the world. Visitors with the strength to climb the 463 steps to the top of the dome are rewarded with panoramic views of all of Florence. The Duomo of Pisa The Duomo of Pisa is overshadowed by its more famous neighbor, the Leaning Tower (the Campanile). The entire Piazza del Duomo complex contains four medieval masterpieces, the Duomo, baptistery, campanile, and Campo Santo Cemetery, all built between the 11th and 14th centuries. The square was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Center in 1987 and is also known as the Campo dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles). The cathedral's architecture is a unique mix of Romanesque and Pisan styles. The Duomo of Siena Siena's cathedral is considered one of the great examples of Italian Gothic architecture. Siena's Duomo is an imposing example of Romanesque architecture whose façade was completed in 1380. Inside the sacristy are well-preserved frescoes by Ghirlandaio and an elaborately decorated pavement. One of the cathedral's main attractions is the Piccolomini Library, commissioned by Archbishop Piccolomini of Siena (later Pope Pius III). The library houses an important book collection and is decorated by mythological scenes by the painter Pinturicchio. The Crypt (Cripta) was discovered during restoration works in 1999 and is filled with frescoes dating back to the 1200s, buried and preserved for seven centuries. The Duomo of Lucca Lucca's Duomo di San Martino was consecrated in 1070. Pilgrims come to pray at the Volto Santo (Holy Face) of Lucca, a wooden crucifix alleged to have been carved by Nicodemus, who helped remove the body of Christ from the cross. Legend says that Nicodemus never carved the face but instead he awakened one morning to find the face miraculously carved by an angel. Another highlight of the Duomo is the marble tomb of Ilaria del Careretto, the wife of one of Lucca's ruler. Ilaria's tomb is a tourist favorite because of its carving of her faithful little dog resting at her feet.
This page uses material from the Wikipedia article Orvieto, published under the GNU Free Documentation License.