| Monte Castello di Vibio | ||
 | ||
| State | Italy | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Umbria | |
| Territory | Tuderte | |
| Surface | 31.94 km² | |
| Inhabitants | 1633 (2010) | |
| Name inhabitants | Montecastellesi | |
| Prefix tel | 39 075 | |
| POSTAL CODE | 06057 | |
| Time zone | UTC 1 | |
| Patron | San Filippo and San Giacomo (May 3) | |
Position
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| Institutional website | ||
Monte Castello di Vibio is a Municipality in Umbria bordering on Fratta Todina, San Venanzo (TR) e Todi.
To know
It is part of the most beautiful villages in Italy.
Monte Castello di Vibio counts (in the totality of the Municipality) 1,627 inhabitants, called: "Montecastellesi" on an area of 31.94 square kilometers, for a population density of 51 inhabitants per square kilometer.
Geographical notes
The town is located on a hill, 423 meters above sea level, which rises above the Tiber valley, near the more famous city of Todi.
When to go
There is no time of year more or less suitable for visiting the town. Of course, spring and summer are better for the climate and for appreciating the vast panoramas that surround it. In the winter season the Christmas period is interesting for the many initiatives that animate the place.
The place is characterized in particular by the fact that the medieval walls are practically intact.
Background
The hill on which Monte Castello di Vibio stands has been inhabited for more than 3000 years. Research carried out at the end of the 19th century speaks of a necropolis dating back to the Iron Age a few hundred meters from the medieval walls, the location of which, however, is currently unknown. In Roman times, the ties of the territory with the capital of the Empire were certainly significant, so much so that the name of the town includes the reference to the Etruscan family, later Romanized, of the "Gens Vibia". Links confirmed, among other things, by the presence of a funerary urn bearing the name of Tertia Vibia and the name "San Lorenzo in Vibiata" of an abbey (now a ruin) located just outside the town, along the coast of the hill.
The most significant period of development, however, can be placed in the Middle Ages, the urban structure still maintains the characteristics of the medieval "castrum". Many stories intertwine between the narrow streets of the town and the large urban centers of the time, between battles, defeats (in 1245 the walls were completely demolished, then rebuilt) and victories, we arrive at another period of great importance for Monte Castello. In 1808, while the great cultural and political revolution that came from France, conquered Italy and other European countries; in the year in which Napoleon invaded the Papal State and annexed it to the Kingdom of Italy, the Concordia Theater. Born at the behest of eight local families. It is an architectural gem that undoubtedly deserves a careful visit.
How to orient yourself
Monte Castello di Vibio: full screen map.Its subdivisions are Sorrow and Madonna del Piano.
How to get
By plane
The nearest airport is the "International airport of Umbria-Perugia San Francesco d'Assisi"which is 46 km away.
Information: telephone: 075.592141; website: http://www.airport.umbria.it
By car
From the Autostrada del Sole A1: for those coming from the North (Florence), exit at Valdichiana, travel 59 km on the Perugia-Bettolle junction to then merge onto the E45 towards Terni, continue on this for another 32 km until the exit "Monte Castello V. - Fratta Todina "; for those coming from the South (Rome), exit at Orte, travel 46 km on the Orte-Terni junction to then merge onto the E45 towards Perugia, then travel another 37 km to the "Monte Castello V. - Fratta Todina" exit. .
On the train
There Umbrian Central Railway connects Monta Castello di Vibio to Terni (to the south) and to Perugia -up to San Sepolcro- (to the north). The "Montecastello di Vibio - Fratta Todina" station is however located downstream, at about 5.5 km. from the town.
Information: toll-free number: 800.512.141; telephone: 075.575401;
How to get around
Inside the historic center of Monte Castello di Vibio, you can easily move around on foot. Furthermore, entry to cars is prohibited.
What see
The village itself is a place to see, with examples of medieval and Renaissance dwellings. Walking through its alleys reveals fascinating views and forgotten atmospheres. Traveling around the country, however, will make you discover unexpected places:
- Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II - Look for the main square (Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II), you can enjoy a very vast panorama from there. In front we see the hill on which Todi rises, below the Tiber river with its wide bends, and around: roads among the meadows, cypresses, hills, slopes in a continuous discovery of infinite details.
- Church of Saints Philip and James - On the square you will find the church of Santi Filippo e Giacomo, quite recent (1851). Inside the altar with the image of the "Madonna dei Portenti" which recalls a miracle that took place in the surrounding countryside. Interesting: the baptismal font and the holy oil urn, both in stone.
- The vegetable gardens - If you walk along the street that you find to the left of the church, going down the wide slope that you are facing, you will cross a road where one of the sides is a long wall, with some wooden doors and gates that open onto small spaces greens. They are what remains of the "gardens", facing east and inside the walls. They were the protected food resource of the Castle. Today unfortunately they are in disuse and abandoned but, observing them carefully, they still maintain the mysterious charm of the "hortus conclusus".
- Illuminated Santa - Another church to visit is that of S. Illuminata which preserves a wooden crucifix brought to Monte Castello in the 15th century.
- The Bell Tower - Near the Town Hall stands the Bell Tower, completed in 1850. The restoration of 1985 covered the stone structure with plaster which made it perhaps more fascinating. Even today, however, the mechanism that moves the bell works, at noon and at seven in the evening.
- The Tower of May - Older, the Torre di Maggio which houses a small museum with coats of arms, ancient weapons and maps that refer to the Municipality and the surrounding area. Getting to the embattled terrace repays the effort for the steep stairs, for the splendid panorama over the roofs of the town and the valley.
- The Teatro della Concordia - Recommended to visit! It is a very small theater, perhaps the smallest in the world. It is the only one, among the smallest theaters to boast: the foyer, the grating, and all that is needed to be defined as a "theater", even if in such a small space. We do not add anything here, let yourself be told the story by those who, with dedication, offer their time to tell the stories and the memory of the smallest theater in the world.
Events and parties
- Feast of Our Lady of the Prisons - The week between the end of June and the beginning of July.
- Feast of St. Anthony of Padua - In the third week of June, from Thursday to Sunday.
- Feast of the Assumption - August 14th. A traditional outdoor dinner in the square with local specialties, enlivened by folk dances and games.
- Christmas in Montecastello - Markets, art exhibitions, concerts and an unforgettable Nativity scene!
- Day of celebration of the Monte Castello Comunale - The first Sunday of August. And it is a medieval historical reenactment with the locals in medieval costume offering typical tastings of the time.
What to do
Shopping
How to have fun
Where to eat
Where stay
Safety
How to keep in touch
Around
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Monte Castello di Vibio
Commons contains images or other files on Monte Castello di Vibio
