ORVIETO - A CITY ON VOLCANIC ROCK

A day before my 9 day Thailand trip I did a side trip to  Orvieto from Rome.

 The city of Orvieto   in the Province of Terni in Umbria region is situated on the flat summit of a large volcanic tuff. A volcanic tuff is defined as:  rock composed of compacted volcanic ash varying in size from fine sand to coarse gravel.It is also called tufa. They used Tufa, stone made of the vulcanic tuffs, to built a defensive wall on its perimeter.

 Among the famous landmarks in the city are the following:

Orvieto's Duomo(cathedral) - this impressive church with its lively facade is known for the blood-stained cloth.Old story says that  In the 1260s, a skeptical priest — who doubted that the bread used in communion was really the body of Christ — passed through Bolsena (a few miles from Orvieto) while on a pilgrimage to Rome. During Mass, the bread bled, staining a linen cloth. The cloth was brought to the Pope, who was visiting Orvieto at the time and they build the magnificent church the  miraculous relic. Photography is not allowed inside the Cathedral but I managed to snap a couple of shots before someone told me not to take photos.

the best shot i got inside the church

 

 

the beautiful facade at night

    The Capella di San Brizion( Chapel of St. Brizio ) on the right side of the church features frescoes of    the    Apocalypse by the famous artist,   Luca Signorelli.

my blurred stolen shot of St. Brizio chapel

  The  white and greenish-black stripes painted church is open daily starting at 7:30AM

 

   Museo Claudio Faina e Museo Civico(Archaeological Museum). The work of Emilio Greco, the Sicilian artist who designed the modern doors of Orvieto's Cathedral is on this display here.

 

  Parco delle Grotte(Underground city)  is Orvieto's long kept secret.  It is a labyrinth of with Etruscan tunnels and medieval caves. It is only accessible through guided tours to preserve the area and to avoid visitors getting lost  mainly because of its intricate tunnels, passageways and numerous small square niches.

courtyard beside the church

  Pozzo di S. Patrizio( St. Patrick's Well) this 16th century deep well  of 175 feet deep and 45 feet wide  not only impresses tourists but also modern engineers. Two spiral stairways  with a total of 496 steps allow an efficient one-way traffic flow on its double helix design.

     The well was built  after Rome was overrun  by renegade troops of the Holy Roman Empire in 1527. The pope  who fled to Orvieto feared that the  town with no water source on top would be besieged too so  He commissioned a well. It was completed after 10 years.

 

  Palazzo dei SIgnori Sette E Torre del Moro- This palace serves as exhibitions and events hall. It used to be the site of the Signori Sette( a group of judges) and residence of some pontiffs. Tourist can climb at the top of the tower. 

 Torre di Maurizio -This clock tower was originally a sundial  is one of the oldest clock in Italy.

 

Chiesa di Sant'Andrea. It is a Romanesque Gothic style church with a dodecagonal tower located at the Piazza della Republica.

  San Giovenale Church - the oldest church in Orvieto built in 1004.

 

  Palazzo E Chiesa di San Giovanni. It was originally the convent of the Lateranensi. Today, its the Palazzo del Gusto and Enoteca Regionale( Regional wine cellar).

 

 The city's well preserved  its Etruscan ruins and the remnants of the wall that enclosed the city more than 2000 years ago . It is included in the  tentative list of the Unesco World Heritage Sites.

 

 

Going around the city, tourist can take the small buses or better yet go on foot. As one walks further away  from the city center to the edge a  passageway surrounding the town and  a beautiful view  of the Umbrian region awaits visitors. We were lucky that we met a  kind local couple who told us to walk further and explore  the breathtaking view of the region.

 

a beautiful scenery on the road less travelled by tourists

Aside from the beautiful architecture of the city,  Orvieto  is also known for its  ceramics and  Classico wine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The funicular ride   up to Orvieto is an experience in itself. Another way is to take the elevator for visitors who prefer to take their car with them. 

 

How to go to Orvieto from Rome:
Fastest way from Rome is to take the Regional trains and alight at the Orvieto station, cross the street and take the funicular.

the funicular station(partly hidden by 2 white vans)photo taken accross the train station