Sept 27 - Perugia (Day trip to Spoleto)

 Sept 27 - Perugia (Day trip Spoleto)

Off to Spoleto today, an ancient city in the foothills of the Apennine Ranges.  Divided into the medieval upper town, and the predominantly modern lower town, our initial goal was to head up to the fortress at the top of the hill.  In theory this was going to be relatively easy as the town has installed a number of escalators all the way to the top making it an easy ‘climb’. However, signage to said escalators being non-existent, we found ourselves wandering around town for ages before finding our way up.  

The fortress, the ‘Rocca Albornoziana’, was built in the 14th century and was originally part of a fortification system constructed by the church to strengthen its military power.  Today however, it houses the ‘National Museum of the Duchy of Spoleto’, although in more recent times it was used as a prison.  Having some great views of the city and the local countryside it also overlooks the magnificent 13th-century Ponte delle Torri aqueduct which, unfortunately, is half covered in scaffolding due to a recent earthquake. 

Back into town and we visit the remnants of a Roman amphitheatre, from the 1st century BC, and an old Roman house with some nice floor mosaics. Just a couple of the sights that make this a really nice, historic old town. 

Off next to the ‘Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta’, the Duomo of Spoleto.  Built in Romanesque style in the 12th century, the highlights here are the undoubtedly the frescoes by Fillipo Lippi, the ‘Scenes of the Life of the Virgin Mary’, with their amazing colours and figures.  The church also happens to be the final resting place of Lippi as, legend says, he was poisoned by the family of a young noble-woman from town!. 

Bottom R: An ‘authentic’ letter from St Francis of Assisi