Orvieto
Orvieto, on the border of Umbria and Tuscany, stands on top of a tufa cliff that historically provided impenetrable defences. They did not keep out the Romans, who sacked the Etruscan city in 265 BC and moved its population to the shores of Lake Bolsena. The memory of the vibrant culture that the Romans destroyed can be seen in the three archeological museums of Orvieto, on the site of the Etruscan Tempio del Belvedere and at the necropolis of Crocifisso del Tufo at the foot of the cliff.
The original city came back to life in the 5th century and provided refuge for the Ostragoth general Witiges when the Byzantine Belisarius drove him from Rome in 539 AD. Belisarius managed to starve the garrison into submission, but this was the last time that Orvieto fell to an enemy without treachery from within. A series of popes took refuge here in the 13th century, attracted by the city's relative safety and also by its white wine (now called Orvieto Classico).
The presence of the papal court in Orvieto for much of the 13th century stimulated the development of an important artistic culture. Orvieto's most famous monument is the Duomo, which boasts a magnificent
facade that was begun at this time. Unlike those of Florence and Siena, this one was actually
completed - although it took some 300 years.
The artistic culture of Orvieto declined in the Renaissance and little of note from this period survives. The notable exception is the fresco cycle (1501-4) by Luca Signorelli in the Cappella Nuova of the Duomo, which probably inspired Michelangelo's Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel. Pope Clement VII took refuge at Orvieto for a few months after the sack of Rome in 1527, and he found the city in a very depressed state. However, it revived in the following decades, bith economically and artistically, under the patronage of families that grew rich at the papal court in Rome.
You can reach Orvieto by train from Rome or Florence. The station is at the foot of the cliff but a funicular railway takes you up to the city. This links to a frequent bus service to the city centre, although it is an easy walk if you are not carrying heavy bags.
Orvieto is not particularly easy to reach from other Umbrian cities. You can arrive by train from Perugia (by changing at Terontola) or from Foligno and other stations on the Rome-Ancona line (by changing at Orte). There are also bus links to Terni, Narni, Todi and Amelia (by ATC), although buses do not run on Sundays and holidays. On the whole, it is best to visit Orvieto at the beginning or end of a trip to Umbria, making the most of its excellent links to Florence and Rome.
Hotel Duomo enjoys an excellent location and provides a great base, but it is often full. I also liked Hotel Piccolomini.
My favorite restaurant is I Sette Consoli, which has the bonus of a lovely garden. I also enjoyed:
Le Grotte del Funaro, 41 Via Ripa Serancia;
Ristorante Piazza Del Popolo, 3 Piazza Del Popolo;
Trattoria al Corsica, Piazza Angelo da Orvieto; and
the new Ristorante Pizzeria l' Antica Piazzetta in Piazza Gualterio.
There are three good places for lunch in Piazza del Duomo:
- Cantina Foresi, at number 2;
- Enoteca Tozzi, at number 13 (where you can order a porchetta sandwich and a "glass" of wine in a paper cup to eat on the terrace outside); and
- Vinosus, at number 15.
Return to the home page: Key to Umbria.