Perugia - Walk VII

Detour II

Around Borgo di Porta Eburnea

This detour, which explores the part of this suburb that survived the building of Rocca Paolina in ca. 1540, begins and ends in Via del Circo, at the junction with Viale Indipendenza.  Cross Via del Circo diagonally into Via Torcoletti.  The church of SS Savino e Cataldo is immediately on the right.

SS Savino e Cataldo

(16th century)

This was originally an oratory belonging to the Confraternita del Santissimo Sacramento.  In ca. 1540, it took over the dedications of two churches, San Savino and San Cataldo, which were demolished to make way for the southern stronghold of Rocca Paolina.

The church was deconsecrated in the 19th century and its dedication, along with that of the deconsecrated church of SS Stefano e Biagio (see Walk VII) passed to SS Biagio e Savino in Piazza Leone III on the outskirts of Perugia.


Continue along Via Torcoletti.  The walls and barred windows of the Istituto di Pena Femminile (women’s prison) are just beyond Via Cantamerlo, on the right, extending down to the junction with Via del Parione.

Istituto di Pena Femminile(1819)

In 1562, the Confraternita della SS Annunziata (see Walk II) established a nunnery here for reformed prostitutes, which was known as Santa Maria Maddalena delle Convertite.  The nunnery was extended in 1603 but suppressed during the French occupation, when it was used as a brothel.  When papal authority was (temporarily) restored to Perugia in the early 18th century, the complex became a “Casa di Correzione” for women.

The inscription on the wall of the building of Via del Parione and Via del Giardino (see below) records the fact that it housed the prisoners of the Tribunale Speciale during the Fascist period.


Turn right, still following the prison walls, along Via del Parione.  The church and ex-convent of Santo Spirito is ahead, with the facade of the church in Piazzetta del Parione.

Retrace your steps along Via del Parione and turn left into Via del Giardino, once more following the prison walls.  (The inscription on the prison wall mentioned above that commemorates the victims of the Tribunale Speciale who were imprisoned here during the Fascist period is in front of you as you approach the junction). 

Continue to Piazza di San Giovanni di Dio and the church and hospital of San Giovanni di Dio on the right.

Continue along Via Giardino, which is named for a garden on the left  towards Piazzetta del Parione that belonged to the Bourbon di Sorbello in the 17th century (behind the wall on the left - see below).   The ex-hospital is on the right and the sustaining wall of Viale Indipendenza is ahead, with Torre dei Donati to the left of it.



Turn right at the end into Via Fatebenefratelli, which runs along the back of the ex-hospital.  Casa Moretti-Caselli (the ex- Sapienza Bartolina, which now houses an important stained glass museum and studio) is just beyond, at number 1.  The road now joins Viale Indipendenza.  

Take a short detour by turning left to look back from above on some of the buildings that you have just walked passed:

  • The Ospedale di San Giovanni di Dio is below on the left, with the campanile of the church visible beyond it. 

  • The garden for which Via Giardino was named, which is now sadly only a shadow of the botanical garden that belonged to the Bourbon di Sorbello family, can be seen to the left of it.  

  • There is also a fine view of the facade of San Spirito to the right. 


Return along Viale Indipendenza to the junction with Via del Circo to resume Walk VII.