Città di Castello

Città di Castello, Umbria Region, Italy

Città di Castello is situated in the northern part of the Umbria region, on the upper part of the flood plain of the River Tiber.

The buldings are mostly in brick. Towards the end of the 20th century, the city has seen a considerable expansion northwards toward San Giustino, with industrial parks tracking the river, railroad and main highway: the area produces farm machinery, textiles, ceramics and furnishings.

spazio
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Where to stay

Hotels: 4-stars | 3-stars | 2-stars | 1-star
Agritourism | Bed & Breakfast

Info

Population: about 38,000 inhabitants -- Zip/postal code: 06012 -- Phone Area Code: 075

History

The town may have been Etruscan; the Romans knew it as Tifernum Tiberinum (i.e., Tifernum on the Tiber). It was largely destroyed during the Ostrogothic campaign under their king Totila. The town was subsequently rebuilt and renamed first Castrum Felicitatis and later Civitas Castelli.
Later it became the domain of the Vitelli family (for whom Antonio Sangallo built an extensive palace), before Cesare Borgia had the patriarch of the Vitelli strangled and Città di Castello added to possessions of the Church State.

What to see:

The medieval Palazzo Comunale and a tall thin city tower nearby, the Torre Comunale.
The cathedral (Duomo), essentially 18th century, with the Museo del Duomo, or cathedral museum is famous for the Canoscio hoard, a set of Late Antique silver tableware with Christian motifs.
The Pinacoteca Comunale, an art museum with mostly Renaissance works, although notable for its external decoration by Vasari