Umbria: Città di Castello

[fumobici]

Città di Castello is a town in the Northeast corner of Umbria located on the Tiber (Tevere) river. It isn't a tourist destination by any means, except perhaps for a few days in the Fall when the truffle festival is held- which is worth going to see if you like truffles- but is instead a real honest working medieval town. I strolled around the town one day and took pictures. If you've seen my reports you'll be expecting to see a lot of doors and you will or won't be disappointed as the case may be!

Let's start then with a few doors,













Bag dispenser for cleaning up after your dog.


It was a market day, and there were food vendors.




As well as the others.





We'll get back to the market later, let's just look around.

















You knew there'd be more doors. Didn't you?































Market's still going on.





This is something you don't often see in Italy, a butcher specializing in horse flesh.



And one last knocker before we call it a wrap.



That's Città di Castello at a glance, I recommend a visit if you find yourself nearby It's well worth a day of strolling and sightseeing.

[bixaorellana]

Wonderful in every way, Fumobici, although I'm a little cold now from walking around. Where can we get a good cup of coffee?

Seriously, this was such an array of delights. Things I particularly loved were the bombé balconies and the window guard; the gently curving building facades; all the different age-mellowed shades of umber and yellow, and the long views down the streets. Your doors, of course, are always great. But if there is one single picture that really sent me, it would have to be the one of the shell-topped, age-blasted windows in that richly rough and faded wall -- magnficent!

John the Baptist cracked me up. Scrolling down, I somehow thought it was Hercules. What's with his arm, & that face that seems to belong in a Scooby-doo cartoon?

From a poster in one of the pictures, I take it this was just before Holy Week, & still cold.

What are the items in the two round tins in front of the cheeses, please?

Thanks so much for this extremely enjoyable tour of the town.

[bjd]

Good pics, as always, Fumobici.

Those passages built between two houses across streets -- were they added later as support? It doesn't seem likely that they would have needed passages over such narrow streets.

[mich64]

Here we do have some passages from building to building, but I notice it is when the buildings are owned by the same person and usually join business space or as in Montreal I have been to a hospital that has above passages. It was very convenient.

Fumo I enjoy your topics of doors, knobs, balconies and markets. I hope I am lucky to find a market that is selling quilts for 50% off!

Cheers,
Mich

[tod2]

Wonderful sights Fumobici! I've only ever been to the Italian Riviera so it was a real delight to see something of the other Italy! The doors and their accessories were marvelous!

[fumobici]

Thanks guys. The items in front of the cheeses are, I think, tinned fish being sold by the etto (100g). One appears to be mackerel and the other tuna. And yes I know of two bars in Città who can make a killer cappuc or a simple espresso. As for the passages spanning the streets, non lo so (I dunno). They are charming though aren't they?

And unlike little French towns, these Italian ones actually have people in them!

[Deleted]

Enjoyed the photos, fumobibi. Each time you show us pictures of Italy, I instantly want to be there. I think it has to be one of my 'most want to see' places anywhere. so much history, culture and charm..

[lola]

I love the details. Gorgeous doors. The serenity of those doorknockers.

Any idea what the della robbia type plaque and mural was about? maybe a memorial to someone?

[fumobici]

It appears to be a list of donors to... something including amounts donated. The letters aren't very legible, even looking at the image full size. I couldn't really read it all in person.

[lagatta]

I was also trying to read that, but couldn't expand it so impossible. I did set foot in that lovely little town, on my way to La Verna from Perugia (in a car, with a friend from Montréal) but we were just refuelling at a nearby filling station and decided to look for a bar to have an espresso. I'd love to return there - see on a map that it isn't far from Gubbio, which I know better - but Città di Castello intramuros is much flatter.

[fumobici]

scrimshaw-globes.com/IMG_2254.JPG

This should be a link to a large version of the picture if you'd like to make a try at reading it.

I love Gubbio. In fact I may have enough Gubbio pictures to do a report although I suspect most will be of the incredible hanging piazza the Palazzo dei Consoli faces out on.

[Deleted]

One thing that really strikes me about the doors is the pride in the upkeep. These doors are clearly cared for lovingly. Southeastern France has quite a bit of Italian architecture, but when you see doors like that, it looks like the last time they were refurbished was about 1920. As long as the wood hasn't rotted, nobody touches them. (Maybe there is some legal obligation like the regular renovation of buildings in Paris?)

I think that all of us love market pictures, because there are so many similarities and so many differences each time.

[fumobici]

I don't think there's a legal obligation. I tend to take pictures of the more photogenic ones but I've taken pictures of ones for their exquisite funkiness as well.

[fumobici]

Here's one facing on a main street in Urbino:

[Deleted]

Ah, that's more what I would expect in the south of France!