Palazzo Donini (1716-24)

Image courtesy of Regione Umbria
Copyright 2004

This was the site of the church of Santa Lucia di Colle Landone, which was first documented in 1022 as a possession of the Abbazia di San Pietro.  It was listed as a parish church in 1285.  The church was demolished in ca. 1540 to make way for Rocca Paolina, and its dedication subsequently passed to a new church of Santa Lucia in nearby Via Baglioni (see Walk IV).

Filippo Donini, a textiles magnate originally from Tuscany, built this palace on the site.  In 1717, during the work on the foundations, a collection of precious objects was discovered that dated to the 7th century.  This included:

• a silver disc engraved with an image of a man on horseback attacking another who was fleeing from him;
  

• gold coins from the time of the Emperors Justin (518 - 27) and Justinian (527 - 65);
  

• items of female jewellery; and
  

• buckles and other objects that would have been worn by a man. 
  

Burial within the walls of cities was becoming acceptable at this time, and it is likely that this treasure had been buried in a family grave.  Unfortunately, it was later dispersed.

The Donini family commissioned the internal decoration of the palace in 1745-50 from some of the leading artists of the day (including Pietro Carattoli, Francesco Appiani, Anton Maria Garbi, Giuseppe Brizi and Giacinto Boccanera).  The family was raised to the nobility in 1751.  They built Palazzo Donini Nuovo in Corso Vannucci in 1785, on the other side of Santa Maria del Riscotto (see Walk VII). 

The Austrian Chancellor, Prince Clemens von Metternich and his officials took over the palace for three weeks in 1819 when he atttend on the Emperor Francis I in Perugia.  (The Emperor's  unscheduled sojourn, during which he and his family took over Palazzo Conestabile, was caused by the illness of his daughter Carolina.  For this short period, Perugia was the centre of the Austrian Empire.)  It was during this stay (on June 17, 1819) that Metternich wrote a famous letter to his personal secretary, Friedrich Gentz that set out his political philosphy.

The Donini family became extinct later in the 19th century and the palace passed to the Commune.  It now houses Giunta Regionale (Regional Council).  It hosts an exhibition of works by the Sicilian artist Salvatore Fiume (died 1997).

Return to Walk VII.