Foligno Tourist Attractions
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SituationThe industrial town of Foligno lies on the left bank of the River Topino, in the fertile Umbrian plain - some 35km/22mi southeast of Perugia and 25km/16mi north of Spoleto. The earliest printed book in Italy was published here (in Italian) in 1472 - the first edition of Dante's "Divine Comedy".
Cathedral
In the center of Foligno is the spacious Piazza della Repubblica, on the east side of which is the cathedral of San Feliciano (1133), with a beautiful facade and a Neo-Classical interior (1770). The altar canopy is a copy of the bronze baldachin designed by Bernini for St Peter's in Rome. Facing the cathedral, to the southwest, stands the 17th century Town Hall.
Palazzo Trinci
On the north side of the Piazza della Repubblica in Foligno is the Palazzo Trinci (14th-15th century), in which are the Archeological Museum, a library and an interesting collection of pictures.
Palazzo Comunale & Palazzo Orfini
On the south side of the Piazza della Repubblica in Foligno stands the Palazzo Comunale, built in the 13th century; note the Neo-Classical facade. It is believed that Italy's first printing press was housed in the elegant Palazzo Orfini (1515; fine Renaissance doorway), on the right of the Palazzo Comunale. From the Palazzo Trinci Via A. Gramsci runs past the fine Palazzo Deli (1510; on the right) to the former 13th century church of San Domenico and the old church of Santa Maria Infraportas; inside three representations of the crucifixion. A little way north is the Scuola d'Arti e Mestieri (School of Arts and Crafts), in the courtyard of which are casts of monuments of Umbrian art. Adjoining the school the church of San Niccolò houses some fine paintings. In a narrow lane to the southeast of the cathedral is the former Oratorio della Nunziatella (15th century), with a fine fresco of the Baptism of Christ by Perugino.
Surroundings
Sassovivo Abbey
The abbey of Sassovivo (Abbazia di Sassovivo), standing in splendid isolation, was founded by Benedictine monks in the 11th century. Particularly remarkable is the Romanesque cloister with 128 filigree spiral columns.
Bevagna
Southwest of Foligno, in the valley of the Clitunno, lies the little town of Bevagna (210m/693ft; pop. 4,500). In the picturesque main square are the churches of San Silvestro and San Michele, with early medieval facades.
Montefalco
From Bevagna it is 7km/4.5mi up a winding road, with sharp bends, to the little walled hill- town of Montefalco (473m/1,561ft; pop. 5,500), with churches which contain fine examples of Umbrian painting: outside the town gate the monastic church of Santa Chiara, inside the gate the church of Sant'Agostino and in the town the former church of San Francesco (now a museum), with frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli (1452). There are also frescoes by Gozzoli in the church of San Fortunato, 1.5km/1mi south of the town.
Spello
Northwest of Foligno, picturesquely situated on the lower slopes of Monte Subasio, is Spello (280m/924ft; pop. 7,800), the ancient Hispellum, which still preserves part of its walls and gates, among which the Porta Venere of the Augustan period. From the Porta Consolare, with three portrait-statues, a street leads up to the church of Santa Maria Maggiore (1285), with a number of notable works of art - in the Cappella Baglioni frescoes by Pinturicchio (1501), as well as majolica flooring from Deruta (1566); on the high altar a magnificent marble tabernacle by Rocco da Vicenza (1515); in the sacristy and presbytery are frescoes by Pinturicchio. Above Santa Maria rises the church of Sant'Andrea (13th century), which has further frescoes by Pinturicchio.
Trevi
South of Foligno, off S.S. 3 to the east, is Trevi (412m/1,360ft; pop. 7,300), the Roman Trebiae, magnificently situated on the slopes of a steep hill. In the central Piazza Mazzini stands the Palazzo Comunale (14th/15th/16th century) with an open arcaded hall on the ground floor. The Via San Francesco leads to the Franciscan church of San Francesco (1288), which is to house the municipal picture collection. Outside the town stands the church of San Martino, with fine frescoes and a beautiful view of Trevi. Below the old town, on the link road to the state road no. 3, stands the Renaissance church of the Madonna della Lacrime, famous for its "Adoration of the Three Kings" by Perugino.
