After our group had loaded up on pottery in Deruta, we traveled to Orvieto. This town is located on a high bluff. The bus was not allowed to go up (too heavy). I feared we were going to have to walk up. Luckily, we entered by a remote parking lot which has an elevator to the top, 1000 feet above the valley floor. Other options to reach the top on other sides of the bluff include an escalator, a funicular, or driving up in a car. After checking in, we enjoyed a group lunch at a nearby restaurant.
Orvieto was founded around 900 BC and has been an Etruscan town, a Roman city, a Middle Ages city-state, and is now a village of 1000 residents in a square- mile area. It has high walls which served to protect the inhabitants. There is now a walking path alongside the top of the wall. William and I explored the Cliff Walk for about an hour that afternoon. The views were spectacular.
Orvieto was founded around 900 BC and has been an Etruscan town, a Roman city, a Middle Ages city-state, and is now a village of 1000 residents in a square- mile area. It has high walls which served to protect the inhabitants. There is now a walking path alongside the top of the wall. William and I explored the Cliff Walk for about an hour that afternoon. The views were spectacular.
Before dinner, our guide Sarah convened our group to tour the Orvieto Duomo. This cathedral was built around 1300. The facade is over the top but it is literally attached to a plain Romanesque building. The facade has mosaics, stained glass, sculptures, and sculptural relief elements that look Renaissance but which actually preceded that era. Four large panels tell the creation story, the life of Jesus, the lineage of Jesus, and the Last Judgment. This Duomo is dedicated to the ascension of Mary.
Inside, the nave showcases stained glass above the altar from the 14th Century. The stripes on the walls and columns are basalt and black travertine. These stripes optically make the space look larger. Alabaster windows give a warm light to the interior.
Most of our tour was spent in the Chapel of San Brizio. It is covered by frescoes of Lucas Signorelli which depict the End of Days—from the Antichrist, to signs of the end of the world, to resurrection of the dead, to the Last Judgment. The panels are detailed, richly colored, beautifully painted, and tell a compelling story to those who could not read. Signorelli even painted himself into two frescoes, as well as the face of his ex-girlfriend.
The Chapel of the Corporeal contains the reason for the cathedral. A priest skeptical of the transfiguration of wine into blood found blood dripping from bread on a cloth during mass. The Pope declared that a miracle and the church was built to honor and protect it. The chapel houses the bloody cloth, but it is only displayed on a few holidays.
Inside, the nave showcases stained glass above the altar from the 14th Century. The stripes on the walls and columns are basalt and black travertine. These stripes optically make the space look larger. Alabaster windows give a warm light to the interior.
Most of our tour was spent in the Chapel of San Brizio. It is covered by frescoes of Lucas Signorelli which depict the End of Days—from the Antichrist, to signs of the end of the world, to resurrection of the dead, to the Last Judgment. The panels are detailed, richly colored, beautifully painted, and tell a compelling story to those who could not read. Signorelli even painted himself into two frescoes, as well as the face of his ex-girlfriend.
The Chapel of the Corporeal contains the reason for the cathedral. A priest skeptical of the transfiguration of wine into blood found blood dripping from bread on a cloth during mass. The Pope declared that a miracle and the church was built to honor and protect it. The chapel houses the bloody cloth, but it is only displayed on a few holidays.
We had dinner at Restaurante Antico Bucchero. This was just a couple of blocks from our hotel. We had a delicious cheese plate with quince jam and some incredibly flavorful honey. I had gnocchi with a luscious cheese sauce, while William had tagliaterre with wild boar meat. We both also had insalata mista (mixed salad). A yummy meal. Plus, we went for a very tart lemon gelato afterward.
The next morning, we visited the Church of Sant’Andrea. It is situated atop an Etruscan temple and an early Christian church. This church has fragments of 11th Century Romanesque frescoes, gothic vaults, and a Renaissance barrel vault in the apse. Beautiful alabaster windows and a lovely round stained glass window over the door softly light the interior.
We then toured underneath the church. Our guide, archeologist Francesco Pascelli, works for the state. We saw remains of the Etruscan city from 500 BC, Roman ruins built on top of those, and modern foundations. We also saw bones from an Etruscan. (No identity. His tombstone was removed and probably reused--likely by the Romans).
Francesco showed us the Etruscan well system which piped fresh water all around Orvieto. We also saw tile flooring from the naves of the earliest Christian Church. All over Orvieto, there are still tunnels and wells (which sometimes even now back up into the lowest parts of buildings).
Members of our group ventured around Orvieto during the morning in search of something to share at lunch. We assembled our finds for a fabulous picnic lunch on the third-floor hotel terrace--a very enjoyable meal with many interesting foods.
After lunch, we bussed to Civita di Bagnoreggio (another page is devoted to that visit). After we left Civita, we bussed to a wine tasting at Tenuta Le Velete. This villa has amazing views of Orvieto, particularly at night. Our host, Alessandro, toured us through tunnels beneath the property (which had served as a wine cellar for many years). Then, he discussed regional wines. Folks sampled several wines that were paired with some delicious foods. After our huge picnic, this light supper was just the ticket.
After lunch, we bussed to Civita di Bagnoreggio (another page is devoted to that visit). After we left Civita, we bussed to a wine tasting at Tenuta Le Velete. This villa has amazing views of Orvieto, particularly at night. Our host, Alessandro, toured us through tunnels beneath the property (which had served as a wine cellar for many years). Then, he discussed regional wines. Folks sampled several wines that were paired with some delicious foods. After our huge picnic, this light supper was just the ticket.