Orvieto: Art, History, Folklore

Perched on a plateau of tufa rock, with the outline of its world famous Duomo visible for miles around, the city of Orvieto has adapted to the needs of the modern day tourist by transforming itself into a car-free haven. The exceptional views commanded by the city, as well as the beautiful skyline of Orvieto itself,can be fully appreciated by looking out from the top of the 13th century Torre del Moro, the highest vantage point in town. But the heart of Orvieto is undoubtedly Piazza del Duomo, onto which look the town's most important public buildings and the facade of the Duomo, a masterpiece of gothic architecture with its polychrome marble inlays and dazzling mosaics. The interior of the cathedral contains, among other important works of art, Luca Signorelli's fresco cycles depicting the Antichrist, Armageddon, the Resurrection of the Flesh, the Chosen and the Reprobates, along with a spectacular Last Judgement in the San Brizio Chapel. Another great artist, Beato Angelico, completed the angels in the vaults of the ceiling. Started in 1290, the Duomo took several centuries before completion. At the corner of Via del Duomo there still survives the mechanical clock tower that chimed the moments of work and rest for the workmen in the building site over the centuries. This book covers: Historical Notes; The Town; Piazza del Popolo; The Cathedral; Palazzo Soliano; The Cathedral Museum; Emilio Greco Museum; The "Claudio Faina" Archaeological Museum; The Necropolis of Tufa Crucifix; The Churches of Orvieto; Pozzo Di San Patrizio; Orvieto Underground; The Walls and the Gates of the Town; The Fortress of Albornoz; The Temple of Belvedere; The Historic Centre of the Town; Torre Del Moro E Di Maurizio; The Feast of the Palombella; The Feast of Corpus Christi - The Historical Procession; Orvieto's Handicrafts and Agriculture; The Wine of Orvieto and The Environs of Orvieto. This book is filled with a bounty of full color photographs from cover to cover.