Bevagna

The first historic accounts of Bevagna coincide with the Roman conquest of Umbria, eventhough there are traces of human settlement from the bronze era and significant archaeological remains confirms the presence of the Umbrian tribe in the Bevagna area. A Roman municipality(90 a.C.), ascribed to the Aemilia tribe, it is situated at the centre of passage of the great Via Flaminia that the romans had constructed(200 a.C.) The spread of Christianity caused many martyrs, among which is San Vincenzo, first archbishop and patron saint of the city. Bevagna therefor belonged to the Dukedom of Spoleto, and then later(774 a.C) to the Vatican State. The free Commune (1000 a.C) is then instituted and ruled by consuls. It lives a constant tug of war between the Empire and the Church, remaining mostly faithful to the later until the Unification of Italy(1861).

Must see:

• Municipal Palace– Architect Andrea Vici (700’s a.C) Inside the Archive and the town library.
• Town Gallery, Pinacoteca– admire paintings of the Fantino(1589), Corrado Giaquinto, Andrea Camassei and Carlo Lamparelli.
• Church of St. Mary Laurentia. Church of Santa Maria della Consolation– Constructed in the 1700s. Noteworthy the statue of Christ Resurrected and the Holy Family on the main altar painted by E. Parrocel 1738. Trivio- Identified where as the zone of the imperial age, constituted by the intersection of the street Flaminia, maximum decumano, with the actual street Crescimbeni and Saint Marguerite, maximum thistle of the ancient Mevania, directed along the road axle Spoleto – Perugia. . Church and Monestary of St. Marguerite- restructured in the ‘600, painting by To. Camassei, that represents The martyrdom of Saint Marguerite. Church and Monestary of St.-Mary del Monte. -The church takes the name from the ancient Benedictine monastery set on the Mountain above Bevagna and here moved to the 1555.
• Church of St. Vincent-Today desecrated, the church was devoted to the patron saint of Bevagna. The façade, incomplete, introduces a covering in travertine. Roman Theatre- The residences, built above the Roman remains, follow the curve of the theatre that supported it on the slant of the high ground and it leaned out on the street Flaminia.
• Temple- II cent. a.C. Thermal Bath building– Of the thermal complex the frigidarium remains, formed by decorated niches of black and white mosaic. The recent restorations have put in evidence traces of the calidarium. Church of St. Francis- Built at the end of the XIII century on the ancient church devoted to St. John the Baptist, it rises on the tallest place in the city, where surely a Roman temple was.
• Church of St. Philip– Built in 1725 close to the pre-existing church of the Madonna of the Providence, the church has one centre aisle, enriched by an elegant decoration of plaster. The Frescoes (1757) are attributed to Dominic Valeri
• Church of St. Augustine– It was founded, together with the native convent of the agostinianis, in 1316 near the most ancient church of St. Pietro. Church of St. Mary filiorum Comitis- Built by Rainaldo I count of Antignano, the chiesetta, today desecrated, it is the most ancient among those preserved: they have news since the 1198. Sanctuary of the Madonna of the Valley-of ancient origins, but reconstructed in 1934. It is situated in the middle of the woods.
• Fortified Village of Gaglioli– fortified walls with imposing tower.
• Torre del Colle– old fortified village, originally belong to the feudal lord Count of Antignano.
• Convent of the Annunciation (XI cent)
• Pian D’Arca– the shrine
• Limigiano– ancient village from 1058 from which you can appreciate the view of Collemancio(remains of the ancient settlement Urvium Hortense)
• Castelbuono– free Commune in the Middle-ages that, in the climax, could enumerate well five churches within its walls.