Last minute Itinerari Città di Castello

The town and the Dominion of the Vitelli

The civil architecture
After the hegemony of Brancaleone Guelfucci during the '300s and than of Braccio Fortebraccio in the first halves of the '400s, it's the family Vitelli that in the second halves the '400s extend its own supremacy on the Commune, defeating the rival families and imposing his own taste. It's from this moment that Città di Castello transforms itself assuming the aspect that still today countersigns it. The political hegemony immediately transferred on the artistic and architectural plan. The splendid Palazzo Vitelli alla Cannoniera rises, so called because centre of a foundry of guns, wanted by Alessandro Vitelli and equipped by a fairy exotic garden of which during the XVI century all Europe spoke about.

Built between 1521 and 1545, today it is centre of the Commonal Picture Gallery, second in the region for importance and number of works only to the Perugia National Gallery. The Building is constituted of five great architectural blocks, all of them externally decorated by graffiti realised by the Doceno based on an idea of the Vasari. In its rooms can be admired numerous masterpieces, of which we list only some of them, to not spoil the taste of the discovery.

In the room VI are preserved the testimonies of the job that Rafael developed in Città di Castello, as for instance what remains of the great Shovel of San Nicola da Tolentino (1500-1501), in the Palace is exposed however only a copy of the XVIII century. The original one has gone almost destroyed. You can admire also the famous Gonfalone della SS. Trinità dated 1499. All the other works painted by Rafael in the territory are somewhere else: his "Crucifixion" (1503) is exposed in the National Gallery in London, while "The Wedding of the Virgin " (1504) is in Milan in Brera Picture Gallery.

Like for the works of Rafael, a lot of the works that Luca Signorelli has painted in Città di Castello are exposed in the most greater museums of Italy and the world. In Palazzo Vitelli remains the magnificent "Martyrdom of San Sebastiano" of the years 1497-1498. The Signorelli developed a notable activity in Città di Castello. Wanted by the Vitelli he notably influenced the taste and the tendencies of his contemporaries.

But the whole Building is to attentively observe in its part, decorated in the walls and in the ceilings from real works of art as the frescos of Cristofano Gherardi, the Doceno, that embellish the staircase through which is possible to access to the following rooms.

Always around halves the '500s Paolo II Vitelli made to build the Palazzo Vitelli in Sant'Egidio, a Renaissance wonder masterpiece still entire in every part, a perfect equilibrium of the proportions, elegant outside and rich of frescos inside. Almost certainly it was realised based on a plan of the Vasari, and together with the Palazzina Vitelli constitute an architectural complex of absolute value. Palazzina Vitelli is close to Palazzo Vitelli in Sant'Egidio, separated by a green garden and situated above the city boundaries. The dominant fratures are the ample vaults, from the painter named Doceno author of the frescos (Cristofano Gherardi), and who has given his decisive contribute to the realisation of this Renaissance masterpiece.

Other two noble examples of the penetration of the Renaissance in Città di Castello are the Palazzo Albizzini, one of the two centres that entertain the Burri Collection, the Palazzo and the Loggiato Bufalini, currently realised at the end of the XVI century based on a project of the Vignola.

In the middle of this whole grace and elegance some medieval pearls are renamed for grandeur and personality the prestigious City Hall, built between 1322 and 1338 by Angelo da Orvieto, from the severe and austere plant, but that already betrays some of the Renaissance elements. Palazzo del Podestà, of same period and same author, is enriched by ogival vaults, bearings, friezes and a series of mullioned windows.

Typical of the city they are its numerous bell tower, among which distinguish the Civic Tower and the Romanesque Bell tower, of cylindrical form, whose particular structure could be find in the area of Ravenna. The Civic Tower is risen above Piazza Gabbiotti, its construction is dated to the XIII century and is integral part of the Episcopalian Palace. It's possible to visit it up to the summit, from which it's possible to admire the fascinating and suggestive panorama that the historical centre offers.