Urbino: The Ideal City - 25

Urbino: The Ideal City
25 - 31 March 2001

Location

Urbino, Les Marches, Italy.

I went to Italy for a weeks holiday. During that time I took about 100 pictures. I also went to Urbino four times. This page describes those visits. As you can see, I really took to Urbino.

Urbino was the seat of the Montefeltro family. During the second half of the fifteenth century it was among the leading courts in Europe. That period coincides with the regency of Federico of Montefeltro. Federico built himself a palazzo, which I visited. But Urbino is so much more than the palazzo. There are canyon-like alleys, sunny piazzas and the leafy hills surrounding Urbino. On the whole it is a very likable town.

This page is roughly divided into three parts. First come pictures of Urbino, the old town. The second part is from the mausoleum of the Montefeltrios. The final part is made up of pictures from the ducal palazzo.

Click on the images to see larger versions.

	This narrow, dark alley was typical of the town within the walls. I thought it was only in movies that Italians hung clothes outside their windows.

Another narrow, twisting alley. Perfect for cloak and dagger games. I wonder if anyone has written mysteries set in Urbino.

	When you come to the outskirts of the old town, you are rewarded with framed views of the surrounding hills.

The Botanic Garden belonging to Urbino university was pleasantly disheveled at this time of year. These daisies growing at the foot of a beech are Doronicum, I believe.

	In another bed I found these woodland plants. In the foreground primroses, Primula vulgaris. The white flowers on the right are wind anemones, Anemone nemorosa.

The facade of the cathedral of Urbino is rather over the top. The stucco looks a bit out of place since the rest of the church is in brick.

	Here is the cupola of the cathedral. The brick is a pleasing colour that shows up well in the sun.

Another sunny picture, this is a sculpture above a fountain.

	The back of the ducal palace is rather nondescript but I liked the way the bottleglass catches the evening rays.

On a hill outside Urbino is the mausoleum of the Montefeltros. Drawn by the sign I wandered around for a bit but I never figured out which was the ducal mausoleum. This one is my safest bet.

	It could however be that the Montefeltros' remains are housed inside the San Bernardino church by the mausoleum.

This pretty fountain belonged to the cemetery. I must say that the Italians are even better than the Brits at romantic decay.

	From the San Bernardino hill you get this view of Urbino.

The last picture from the cemetery. Some people are forgotten more quickly than others.

	Back in Urbino again, this picture is taken near the entrance to the Ducal palace. I liked the frame within frame. The lamp on the left is typical of the area.

The ducal palace was not quite a splendid as I was hoping. It was stripped of its contents by the Papacy in the seventeenth century. However some convincing details remain. These Corinthian capitals are among them.

	The eagle is a popular symbol of regents in many cultures. Federico Montefeltro liked it too.

Another example of the exuberant demonstrations of power that Federico indulged in in his palazzo.

	They aren't pink but they are unicorns.

I close with the view from the balcony next to Federico's two chapels. One of them was dedicated to Apollo and the Muses, the other to the God of the Christians. This view sums up my holiday in Italy with the combination of hills and history.