L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JULY 13, 2017 www.italoamericano.org 18 L'Italo-Americano ELIZABETH SALTHOUSE Urbino's Renaissance legacy ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES B i r t h p l a c e o f a r t i s t Raphael, home to one of the most beautiful high R e n a i s s a n c e p a l a c e s i n t h e c o u n t r y , U N E S C O W o r l d Heritage site: you'd think the hilltop town of Urbino would be high up on the tourist wish list (no pun intended!). The truth is few seem to have discovered this walled citadel's incredible R e n a i s s a n c e l e g a c y o r t h e charms of its gently rising paths. But for anyone planning a cul- tural or historical tour of the Italian peninsula Urbino, in the central Le Marche region, is an absolute must. The birth of Urbino The hill of Poggio, caressed by the winding streets and terra- cotta topped houses of Urbino, has been inhabited since prehis- toric times, prized for its strate- gic peak position. The Romans recognized its value too, fortifying the modest s u m m i t t o w n o f U r b i n u m Mataurense, "the little city on the river Mataurus", with solid stone walls during the 6th centu- ry Gothic Wars. A b r i e f s p e l l u n d e r t h e Franks and then the Papacy in the mid 700s followed. But it w a s u n d o u b t e d l y u n d e r t h e noble House of Montefeltro that Urbino really flourished. The Montefeltros & their legacy The story of the Montefeltros o f U r b i n o b e g i n s w i t h t h e a p p o i n t m e n t o f A n t o n i o a s Imperial Vicar to the town in 1 1 5 5 b y F r e d e r i c k I , H o l y R o m a n E m p e r o r . A n t o n i o ' s duties were to administer the town on behalf of the empire and although neither the noble- man nor his family had direct authority to rule over the com- mune, they were now in a posi- tion to influence the people. This was the start of over 350 years of Montefeltro's presence in Urbino, first as administrator and podestà or chief magistrate and later as Dukes of the hilltop municipality. Just like the Gonzagas in M a n t u a o r t h e M e d i c i s i n F l o r e n c e , t h e M o n t e f e l t r o s strove for power but progress w a s n ' t a l w a y s s m o o t h . Bonconte di Montelfeltro suc- ceeded in getting elected as chief magistrate in 1213 but wasn't popular. Revolt followed and it would be twenty years before the family regained con- trol in 1234. But family for- tunes began to rise after that and with them the fortunes of Urbino. Urbino's Renaissance man " O n t h e s l o p e s o f t h e Apennines, almost in the centre of Italy towards the Adriatic, is situated, as everyone knows, the little city of Urbino. Among the blessings and advantages that can be claimed for it, I believe the greatest is that for a long time now it has been governed by outstanding rulers. Without looking further we can find a s p l e n d i d e x a m p l e i n D u k e Federico of glorious memory, who in his day was the light of Italy. Among his other com- m e n d a b l e e n t e r p r i s e s , D u k e Federico built on the rugged site of Urbino a palace which many believe to be the most beautiful in all Italy." The Book of the Courtier by Baldassarre Castiglione, 1528 Of all the Montefeltros, it was Duke Federico who left the g r e a t e s t i m p a c t o n U r b i n o . Trained as a mercenary com- mander he made his living and fortune fighting other people's battles. It's even suggested that he had a hand in the death of his predecessor in Urbino. He is remembered, however, not for his military success but for his patronage of culture and as a landmark figure in the Italian Renaissance. I n t h e m i d 1 5 t h c e n t u r y F e d e r i c o c o m m i s s i o n e d t h e construction of Urbino's turret- ed Ducal Palace, one of Italy's most important Renaissance e d i f i c e s e v e n t o d a y a n d a UNESCO World Heritage site. Stunning trompe l'oeil decora- tion, using the finest wood mar- quetry techniques of the time, lined the walls ornamenting his p a l a z z o . B e a u t i f u l f r e s c o s embellished the ceilings and Federico used yet more of his riches to employ scribes and copyists to produce what was said to be the finest library out- side the Vatican. Under Federico's patronage Urbino became known as a cul- tural centre that encouraged the finest arts, particularly litera- t u r e . G i o v a n n i S a n t i , c o u r t p a i n t e r , p o e t a n d f a t h e r t o Raphael, wrote poems to his patron including a chronicle of the Duke's life. And the hilltop commune became a beacon for high Renaissance artists includ- i n g P i e r o d e l l a F r a n c e s c a , whose portrait of Federico now has pride of place in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. B u t t h e r e w a s o n e m o r e Montefeltro to go before both the family's and Urbino's pros- p e r i t y c h a n g e d . G u i d o b a l d o continued his father's benefac- tion and in marrying Elisabetta Gonzaga, of the Mantua house, united two of the most impor- tant cultural centres of the time. Their court was a renowned lit- erary salon and in 1528 was cast as the ideal model of virtue, manners and etiquette by writer a n d d i p l o m a t B a l d a s s a r r e Castiglione in his manuscript "The Book of the Courtier". Published in Venice just before his death, the book would go on to become a classic and defini- tive discourse on how to behave properly in polite society. And it was a perfect record of the court of Urbino at the height of its Renaissance hey day. Urbino today T o d a y l i t t l e h a s c h a n g e d about Urbino since the days of the Montefeltros, who would probably have little difficulty recognizing many of the pedes- trianized, stone-paved streets and palaces of the hilltop com- mune. The Palazzo Ducale built by Federico remains the key draw and today continues the Montefeltro's art patronage as t h e h o m e t o t h e G a l l e r i a Nazionale delle Marche. The i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y s i g n i f i c a n t gallery curates one of the most i m p o r t a n t c o l l e c t i o n s o f Renaissance art in the world and includes work by Titian, Piero della Francesca, Timoteo Viti and, of course, local lad Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, otherwise known as Raphael. F e d e r i c o w o u l d b e r i g h t l y impressed, as are cultural visi- tors today. Raphael's own home is also a fascinating draw for art lovers featuring artwork by maestros G i o v a n n i t h e f a t h e r a n d Raffaello the son. Working at the peak of the Renaissance w i t h a n a c c o m p l i s h e d a r t i s t father as tutor and the splendor of Urbino as his classroom, the young son soon surpassed his teacher. Today his home, a sub- stantial 15th century town house with an attractive interior décor, is a wonderful example of the day and well worth the visit. O r w h y n o t t a k e a s t r o l l , exploring the hidden treasures dotted across the hilltop: from the subterranean grotto of the Duomo, carved from the bare rock to the neo-classical cathe- dral itself above, from the fine frescos of the Oratorio di San Giovanni to the rooftop vistas o u t o v e r t h e t o w n f r o m t h e Parco della Resistenza, Urbino is a delightful mix of art, antiq- uity and architecture. Ultimately Urbino can hold its own when compared to any hill town in Umbria or even Tuscany, but is yet to be found by the masses, separated as it is from the conventional cultural path by the Apennine mountain range. It's an idyllic town, per- fectly adapted to its peak posi- tion, its streets packed with his- tory and happily pedestrianized. And it's an essential stop for any lover of the Renaissance. Don't miss out! The Ducal Palace of Urbino. Photo by karambol Piero della Francesca, Portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Urbino, Federico da Montefeltro and Battista Sforza, 1467-72

• Cover