L'Italo-Americano

W h e n t h e n a m e S a n s e - p o l c r o comes up, it is usually in connection w i t h R e n a i s s a n c e m a s t e r , P i e r o d e l l a F r a n c e s c a . The small town was both his b i r t h p l a c e a n d h i s b u r i a l p l a c e , a n d h i s h o u s e s t i l l stands in the historic center. Sansepolcro's Civic Muse- u m , s p a n n i n g a s e r i e s o f linked palaces close to the main tourism office, houses the largest collection of della F r a n c e s c a ' s w o r k i n t h e world, including his famous painting, "The Resurrection," once called "the greatest pic- ture in the world" by writer Aldous Huxley. B u t d e l l a F r a n c e s c a ' s p r i c e l e s s t r e a s u r e s w o u l d likely have been lost if not for the actions of a quick-think- i n g B r i t i s h o f f i c e r d u r i n g World War II. Tony Clarke, who served with the British Royal Horse Artillery, was in charge of bombing Sansepolcro in 1944 to secure the way for Allied troops to rush in and flush out the Germans. As his unit was taking up its position outside the town walls, some- thing rang a bell. The officer recalled an essay he had read years earlier in which author Huxley had praised the beau- ty and power of "The Resur- rection," located in the very town he was getting ready to shell. D e f y i n g o r d e r s , C l a r k e stalled for time, hoping that the Germans would see the g u n s a n d w i t h d r a w . H i s actions paid off. The Ger- mans fled the following day, and the priceless 500-year- old work of art was saved. In 1965, Clarke returned to San Sepolcro where he witnessed t h e u n v e i l i n g o f a s t r e e t named in his honor – Via Anthony Clarke. This charming walled town on the border of Tuscany and Umbria, called "Borgo" by locals, is built in the Valtibe- rina, a scenic valley on the Upper Tiber; its historic cen- t e r r e m a i n s l a r g e l y untouched by development. The community was said to be founded around AD 1000 by pilgrims returning from the Holy Land with a stone from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, giving the town its name. In the 1500s, the powerful Medici family dominated the a r e a a n d b u i l t t h e s t a r - shaped Medicean Fortress as a military stronghold. Today the town center is elegant and well-preserved, its grid o f R o m a n s t r e e t s d i s t i n - guishing it from the winding m e d i e v a l h i l l t o w n s t h a t characterize the surrounding region. O n c e y o u ' v e s e e n t h e Renaissance treasures in the town's Civic Museum and visited some of its beautiful churches, consider a totally different experience focused on health and wellness. The Aboca Museum, opened in 2002 by the Italian health- care company Aboca, show- cases numerous historical and botanical displays cele- b r a t i n g t h e t h e r a p e u t i c power of herbs and plants. A r t e f a c t s a n d d i o r a m a s recreate ancient pharmacies and medieval herb-process- ing workplaces. An outdoors exhibit called D e D i v i n a P r o p o r t i o n e , which touches on the "gold- en ratio" in mathematics, a c o n c e p t e m b r a c e d b y Leonardo da Vinci and other R e n a i s s a n c e a r t i s t s , w a s added to the museum com- plex in spring 2026. There is a book and gift shop as well as a research library with more than 3,000 historic and modern publications on medicinal plants. Sansepolcro is also the ancestral home of Buitoni, whose pasta was first made commercially in 1827. After more than a century of pro- d u c t i o n i n I t a l y , f a m i l y descendant Giovanni Buitoni moved to America, opening a store in 1939 in New York C i t y . T o d a y t h e b r a n d i s headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. S e p t e m b e r i s a b u s y month for townspeople. On the second Sunday of the month, Sansepolcro hosts t h e c o l o r f u l P a l i o d e l l a B a l e s t r a , where Tuscan crossbowmen vie with the v i l l a g e r s f r o m G u b b i o i n Umbria. Renaissance cos- tumes abound; there are also flag throwers and a medieval m a r k e t . S e p t e m b e r a l s o marks the Lace Festival, pay- i n g t r i b u t e t o o n e o f t h e town's enduring local crafts – bobbin lace. Consider combining your visit to Sansepolcro with a stop in the postcard-perfect town of Anghiari, about 15 minutes away by bus or car. This delightful fortified vil- lage of about 5,500 inhabi- tants – now quiet and peace- ful – was once the site of the f a m o u s d e a d l y B a t t l e o f Anghiari in 1440, in which t h e a r m y o f t h e I t a l i a n League, led by the Republic o f F l o r e n c e , d e f e a t e d t h e much larger forces of Milan. To celebrate the victory, t h e F l o r e n t i n e s c o m m i s - sioned Leonardo da Vinci in 1503 to create a painting for the Palazzo Vecchio. A draw- ing was prepared – not of dashing knights and flags b u t o f f e r o c i o u s m e n o n horseback locked in a violent and gruesome battle. T o c r e a t e t h e a r t w o r k , Leonardo tried an experi- m e n t a l t e c h n i q u e t h a t a p p l i e d p a i n t t o h e a t e d beeswax, but the project did not go smoothly. The weath- er turned and the fresco's w a x l a y e r b e g a n t o d r i p . Finally, the artist abandoned t h e w o r k . T h e f r e s c o w a s later covered over by another battle scene painted by Gior- gio Vasari and so it was lost to posterity. To learn more about the battle and Leonardo's lost masterpiece, visit the Battle o f A n g h i a r i M u s e u m , located in the 16 th -century Palazzo del Marzocco. There you will find an engrossing bilingual audiovisual presen- tation as well as a large table model depicting the day of battle. There are excellent displays of antique armor and weaponry, as well. Once you've had your fill o f m u s e u m s a n d b a t t l e scenes, it's time to unwind with a stroll along the serene streets of Anghiari. The town walls enclose picturesque houses, shops and churches, including the Campano, a p r o m i n e n t 1 6 t h - c e n t u r y clock tower which serves as a beacon for tourists who've l o s t t h e i r w a y a l o n g A n g h i a r i ' s s t e e p c o b b l e d streets. RITA CIPALLA F o r t i f i e d v i l l a g e s o f S a n s e p o l c r o a n d A n g h i a r i a r e r i c h i n h i s t o r y , a r t a n d charm THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2026 www.italoamericano.org 16 L'Italo-Americano Anghiari's medieval walls, which still define the historic center of the Tuscan town (Photo: Stevanzz/Dreamstime) LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE

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