Perugia - Walk VI
Detour III
Across Monteluce |
This detour is through a pleasant residential area, and visits the present home of the Poor Clares from Santa Maria di Monteluce.
Leave Piazza Monteluce by Via Eugina, the road to Gubbio, which is ahead of you to the right as you leave Santa Maria di Monteluce. Follow it to the roundabout at which it joins Via San Giuseppe. Across in front of you is a signpost to Sant’ Erminio, which directs you to a short lane to the right leads that leads you to the nunnery of Santa Maria di Monteluce in Sant’ Erminio. The nuns' church is still open for services, and you might be rewarded by the sound of their choir.
Santa Maria di Monteluce in Sant’ Erminio (13th century) This site was given to St Sylvester Guzzolini in 1267 and became the site of the Sylvestrine monastery of San Benedetto. The monks moved to Santa Maria di Porta Sole (later Santa Maria Nuova) ca. 1293. The complex then passed to a community of Sylvestrine nuns. They moved to San Benedetto dei Condotti in 1641 because of the military threat during the War of Castro. The site then passed to the Oddi family. Bishop Marcantonio Oddi acquired the relics of St Erminius from the catacombs of Rome, and they were translated to his church in 1662. Although nothing is known of the life and martyrdom of this saint, Pope Clement XIII (1753-69) authorised his cult in Perugia and the celebration of his feast on 24th April. The nuns from Santa Maria di Monteluce took over the convent in 1927. There are two portals (15th century) under the portico of the nunnery: the arms of the Oddi family used to be visible on the architrave of the smaller one to the right. The nuns’ modern church is to the right of the convent. |
Walk back along the path and continue straight ahead along Via San
Giuseppe. This is named for the small church of San Giuseppe (1695),
which is on the right at number 18.
The road leads to the Porta di Sant’ Antonio, where you resume Walk VI.