Spoleto: medieval town packed with Roman history
If you ask me, Spoleto is one of the most beautiful places in Umbria. The green surroundings and the mix of remnants from its Roman and medieval pasts make this town unique. Yet Spoleto is less known to tourists than, for example, Perugia and Assisi. While certainly not 'undiscovered', the town is less crowded than some of Umbria's other hilltowns. Therefore, you can look forward to a relaxing (day) trip, especially outside high season.
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If you're not in a hurry, I recommend staying overnight to have two days in Spoleto. Otherwise, don't worry, one day is enough to see most of the main sights, especially if you know where to go.
Last April, I took the train from Assisi to Spoleto. In less than 45 minutes I arrived at the station north of the city. From there, I started my visit to Spoleto. In this post, I will tell you more about the 12 highlights (from north to south) of my stay.
Also, don't forget to read my post about the history of Umbria. It might help you put some stories in perspective and get the most out of your trip.
My first stop was at the Basilica di San Salvatore (Google Maps). Unfortunately, this started with a disappointment. Due to earthquakes in the region, the church's construction has been damaged. For safety reasons, the basilica has therefore been closed for several years. Nevertheless, the church's exterior and the adjacent cemetery still make the Basilica di San Salvatore worth a visit.
The Basilica di San Salvatore is considered one of Italy's oldest churches. Part of the church, including parts of the facade, date back to the 4th century. In 2011 the Basilica of San Salvatore became a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the series 'Lombards in Italy. Places of power'. This series comprises the seven most important Longobard monuments throughout Italy.
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The facade of the church is divided into two levels. The lower part contains three portals with richly decorated friezes. During recent restoration work, the rear face of the central door lintel frieze revealed that the monolith once belonged to a 1st-century Roman funerary monument. In the upper part of the facade, there are three windows. The center window is notable for its arch with unusual decorations for the time.
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If you're lucky, the door of the church will be open. This way, you can still catch a glimpse of the interior. You can see from the ancient columns that the church was built using Roman salvaged remains.
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When you walk around the basilica, you may also want to visit the cemetery. Here you will find some beautiful neoclassical funerary monuments.
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On your way from the Basilica di San Salvatore to the historic center, you will pass the Ponte Sanguinario (Bloody Bridge). The bridge was probably built around the 1st century AD and commissioned by Emperor Augustus. It was part of improvements to the Via Flaminia and made it possible to cross the Tessino River.
However, over time the riverbed shifted to the north, and the bridge lost its function. Ultimately, flooding and landslides caused the bridge to become buried under mud.
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In 1817 the Ponte Sanguinario was rediscovered during restoration works in the area. The remains of the bridge, two of the three arches, are below street level. On certain days they can be viewed by going down the stairs in Piazza della Vittoria. The monument is managed by volunteers from a foundation for the disabled. They will ask you for a small donation to visit the ancient bridge.
In case you're wondering where the name 'Bloody Bridge' comes from... There are various legends regarding the bridge's name. Some people claim that religious martyrs were beheaded on the bridge and their heads thrown in the river.
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Another legend has to do with San Ponziano, patron saint of Spoleto. Ponziano lived in the 2nd century BC and propagated the Christian faith. However, under the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Christians were persecuted.
Ponziano was arrested and thrown to the lions, but they did him no harm. Then Ponziano was thrown on hot coals, but they didn't burn him. Finally, he was beheaded on the bridge. When his head was thrown down, it is said to have bounced three times. A water source arose at the spot where Ponziano's head finally landed. The San Ponziano church was later built on this site.
If you have visited Lago Trasimeno, you may have heard the story of the battle in which Hannibal defeated the Roman legions during the Second Punic War. After this massacre, the Carthaginian forces continued their way to Rome.
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However, according to the Roman historian Livy, the advance of Hannibal was stopped at Spoleto. The Carthaginian forces attacked the city, but the inhabitants of Spoletium bravely fought back and repulsed the attack. This defeat forced Hannibal and his troops to divert to Picenum, today's region of Marche. According to legend, the Torre dell'Olio (Google Maps) played an important role in defending the city. Citizens were said to have poured down boiling olive oil on their enemies from the top of the tower. Could this also be why the nearby gate is called the Porta Fuga or the Gate of Flight?
This heroic story was probably exaggerated by Livy. Why? Well, Hannibal's attack on Spoleto is not mentioned by the Greek historian Polybius, one of the most important sources when it comes to the Second Punic War. This means the battle may have been no more than a minor skirmish. In addition, the Torre dell'Olio was built in the Middle Ages around the 13th century.
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Legend or not, the Torre dell'Olio is the tallest (45 meters) and best-preserved medieval tower in Spoleto. Unfortunately, the building can only be admired from the outside as it is privately owned.
Spoleto has many Roman ruins. Located just off Piazza della Liberta, the Roman Theater is probably one of the most distinctive.
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The theater dates from the middle of the 1st century BC. Like most other Roman theaters, it has seats grouped into three horizontal sections (cavea). The section closest to the stage was reserved for the elite. The second cavea was open to the general public, though mostly reserved for men. Women, children, and sometimes even slaves were seated on the outer section.
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The remains of the theater can be seen from the tourist kiosk on Piazza della Libertà (Google Maps). You might notice the buildings that are built on the theater's stage area: the Sant'Agata and the former Corvis' Palace. Both were built in the early Middle Ages.
The theater can be visited by buying a ticket for the State Archaeological Museum. The museum's collection includes statues and reliefs from the theater.
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Piazza del Mercato is the heart of Spoleto's historic center. As you may have guessed from its name, this square was the center of trade and commerce in Roman times.
Today you will find many bars and restaurants in Piazza del Mercato. But before you give your feet some rest, first walk to the north side of the square. There is a beautiful fountain that you should not miss (Google Maps). The Fontana di Piazza del Mercato (or simply Fonte di Piazza) can be recognized by its clock and a monument dedicated to the Barberini family on top.
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The Fonte di Piazza is not the first fountain built on this site. The first fountain in Piazza del Mercato was built around the 13th century. In 1433 another fountain was built for the old one.
In the 16th century, the site of the current fountain was occupied by a Romanesque church, the Church of San Donato. The church was abandoned in the second half of the same century and the facade facing the square was used for a public clock. The monument dedicated to the Barberini family was added in 1626. The link between Spoleto and the Barberinis was born when Maffeo Barberini became Bishop of Spoleto.
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The current fountain was built in 1746 after the demolition of the old fountain. Today it is one of the main tourist attractions in Spoleto.
Around the corner of the Fonte di Piazza, you will find a ruin of a Roman house that dates back to the 1st century. The Casa Romana is said to have been the home of Vespasia Polla, the mother of Emperor Vespasian.
The remains of the domus show various characteristics of patrician houses as they appeared around the transition between the Republican and Imperial periods.
A short corridor leads to the atrium, where the impluvium and the compluvium are located above it. An impluvium is a lower part of the atrium where rainwater was collected. A compluvium is a rectangular opening in the roof of an atrium.
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Around the atrium, there are several areas where interesting mosaics can be seen. Opposite the entrance is a larger room, the tablinum. This was the room where business was conducted and where guests were received. To the right of the tablinum is the triclinium or dining room. The triclinium features the best-preserved frescoes in the building.
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The space on the left leads to the area of the inner garden with its portico, of which only fragments of columns remain.
Curious how the elite class of Rome lived? Then the Casa Romana is definitely worth a visit. If you are only in Spoleto for a day: the Roman house can be visited in 15 minutes. So, you will have plenty of time left to explore the rest of the town.
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One of the absolute highlights of the city is the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, the Duomo of Spoleto. Not much is known about the origins of the church. What is known, is that in 956 there was already an earlier cathedral, known as the Santa Maria del Vescovato. This church was most likely destroyed when Frederick Barbarossa captured and sacked Spoleto in 1155. Not much later, in the late 12th and early 13th century, the current duomo was built.
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The facade of the cathedral consists of three levels. The lower level is composed of five arcades with Corinthian columns and has a pulpit on both sides. The level above has five rose windows. The large window in the middle is held by two tiny figures. In the corners, you can see an angel and three animals. They represent the four evangelists: Matthew (angel), John (eagle), Luke (ox), and Mark (lion).
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The most interesting part of the upper part of the facade is the large mosaic in Byzantine style. It shows Jesus, flanked by the Virgin and Saint John the Baptist. You can see that Jesus is giving his blessing and in his other hand is an opened book. The text reads 'EGO SVM LVX MVNDI', meaning 'I am the light of the world.' This phrase refers to the Gospel of John: "Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
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The interior of the duomo is even more beautiful than the outside. Two things immediately caught my attention. First of all, the colorful frescoes by Fra Filippo Lippi in the church's apse. And second the floor in the nave. This is among the oldest parts of the duomo.
The duomo also houses an authentic letter handwritten by San Francesco d'Assisi. He wrote the letter in 1222. It was addressed to Leo, one of the Saint’s earliest followers. The letter can be found in the Cappella delle Reliquie.
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Spoleto has a second popular fountain: the Fontana di Mascherone. The fountain can be found at Piazza Campello (Google Maps) and takes its name from the grotesque human mask from which the water flows.
The Fontana di Mascherone was probably built in the 17th century. According to the inscription above the mask, Pope Clement VII commissioned the fountain's restoration in 1736.
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There is a second smaller fountain on the right of the Fontana di Mascherone. It bears the inscription 'BIBE VIATOR' (drink traveler). Based on the color and material, I think this inscription once belonged to the Fontana di Mascherone itself.
A local told me that if you drink the fountain's water, you'll eventually become a native of Spoleto. Would you take a sip?
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During your visit to the historic center, you may have noticed the imposing fortress on top of the Sant'Elia hill. From there, it is strategically towering over the whole Spoleto valley. The building you see is the Rocca Albornoziana, named after the Spanish cardinal Egidio Albornoz.
Albornoz had been sent to Umbria by Pope Innocent VI to oversee the construction of a series of fortresses. The fortresses had to re-affirm the papal authority in Central Italy.
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The structure has a rectangular shape and is defended by six towers. Inside it has two wide courtyards; one was used for military purposes. The other was reserved for the administrators and the governors.
Over time, the Rocca Albornoziana also became the residence of the city's governors. They decorated the interior of the fortress with frescoes. Unfortunately, many were lost when the fort was transformed into a prison in 1817.
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The building served as a prison until 1983. Not much later, the fortress was restored and brought back to its original state. Today it houses the National Museum of the Duchy. The museum's collection covers 15 halls and celebrates the history of the Duchy of Spoleto.
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From the Rocca Albornoziana you can see Spoleto's most famous building: the Ponte delle Torri (Google Maps). The bridge consists of nine large piers connected by ten arches. Its height (80 meters) and length (230 meters) give the slender bridge an impressive appearance.
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The bridge had a dual purpose. It connected Rocca Albornoziana to the fortress (Fortilizio dei Mulini) on the other side. At the same, it served as an aqueduct.
An interesting fact: the two central pillars of the bridge are hollow. Inside are rooms that probably once served as guard posts. After all, the bridge has a strategic and defensive position.
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I would have loved to cross the bridge, but unfortunately, the bridge has been closed for several years due to earthquake damage. Fortunately, the bridge is now being repaired, but it will probably take two years.
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When you can cross the Ponte delle Torri again, you will arrive at Fortilizio dei Mulini. This building used to serve as a watchtower, but it also had another important function: a grain mill. The millstones were powered by the water flowing through the aqueduct.
If you turn right from Fortilizio dei Mulini you will reach a church known for its extraordinary facade: the San Pietro Extra Moenia (Google Maps). (During the closure of the Ponte delle Torri, the best way to get to the church is via Viale Giacomo Matteotti (Google Maps)).
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The church's facade dates from the 12th century and is beautifully decorated with ornamental figures, animals, and reliefs. Since the church is dedicated to Saint Peter, it should come as no surprise that some of the decorations are related to the saint's life. I will describe some of them.
The first is located in the upper left corner of the lower part of the facade. It depicts the death of the righteous. You can see how Saint Peter frees the hands of a dead man. Meanwhile, the archangel Saint Michael weighs the dead man's soul, but the devil tries to cheat by lowering the scale on his side. The devil is also holding a scroll with the words 'DOLEO Q(UIA) AN(TE) E(RAT) MEUS'. The text can be translated as 'I grieved because before it was mine.' It probably means that the man's soul would go to hell, but was saved by Saint Peter.
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The relief below shows the death of a sinner. As you can see from the scales, the deceased's soul goes to hell. Saint Michael walks away, and two devils are torturing the body of the chained sinner. On the left, the sinner's body is cooked in a cauldron.
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The first scene at the top right shows Saint Peter rejecting Jesus' offer to wash his feet. Jesus answered him, "If I were not you, you have no part in me." Then, on the right, you see how Jesus washes the feet of the apostle.
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After visiting the San Pietro Extra Moenia I recommend you to walk back to Fortilizio dei Mulini. From there, you can take a beautiful walk along the Giro dei Condotti (Google Maps). It's a charming and mostly flat pathway that follows the route of the old aqueducts.
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On your way, you will come across some ruins of old churches. But that is not all. From the Giro dei Condotti you also have some of the best views of the city!
After a while, you will reach the former monastery of S. Maria inter Angelos. From there, follow the path to the left to go back to the historic center.
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