Perugia’s most prestigious medieval guildhall? Certainly that of the Nobile Collegio della Mercanzia (the Noble Merchants Guild), already active in the early 13th-century at the peak of the independence of Perugia’s comuni (city-states). Il Nobile…
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In the showcase of architectural gems that grace the city of Perugia, Palazzo dei Priori (“Palace of the Priors,” i.e, the medieval governing body of the city state) is arguably the crown jewel of…
The most powerful guilds in Perugia were those of the “Mercanzia” and the “Cambio” (Merchants and Money-Changers), due to the importance that guild members were able to acquire in the civic life…
In 1872, Henry James spent a week in Perugia, Umbria hilltown and one of the region’s two provincial capitals, lauding this medieval gem as “city of the infinite view.” I always wondered when…
Living on a hill overlooking Norcia…. …..the Benedictine monks – affectionately called by all “the Monks of Norcia” – are known today for their production of artisanal beers. But many centuries ago,…
Best known as birthplace (in the late 5th-c A.D.) of San Benedetto, founder of western monasticism, and his twin sister Scolastica, Norcia’s history weaves back through the centuries. Most likely ancient Nursia was…
January can be icy cold in Umbria but a month of warmth, too: the warmth of the locals celebrating January festivals. An Umbrian winter festival absolutely not to miss is the late-January…
The creche art of Naples is truly an artistic representation of la vita napoletana, then and now. The presepe napoletano (Neapolitan crib scene), more than just a religious celebration, has become a way to…
For many in Umbria, Christmastime is inextricably linked to visits to the presepi viventi (“living crib scenes”) of medieval villages surrounding Assisi. The first to bring the Nativity scene alive was San Francesco in…
For periods of contemplation, meditation and restoration ,St. Francis of Assisi often withdrew to various retreats – grottoes, caves, primitive huts – in the areas of Italy now known as Tuscany, Abruzzo,…