Spots in Spoleto
In Umbrian towns, you are right to wander without a strict sightseeing agenda. I encourage you to pass by these spots to take in the beauty that the town has to offer, however.
Plaque with Goethe’s comments on the Ponte delle Torri in Italian and German. See the English translation here.
Ponte Delle Torri
I have already previewed this spot in the Introduction to Spoleto post, so read more about it here, if you are interested in further history. The 230m-long bridge stands about 80m above the river and is most notable for the nine large arches that will enchant you upon first glance. The striking appearance of the bridge today dates back to the 14th century, yet scholars speculate that it was built over a much older Roman aqueduct. As the Bella Umbria website asserts: “The bridge preserved the function of the previous structure to carry the water of the Cortaccione springs to Spoleto.” The sweeping views over the area known as ‘territory of the Preappenines’ which is a lush green valley create a breathtaking background. Goethe commented on the beauty in the late 18th century and his words are immortalized in a plaque just before you reach the bridge.
Turner, William. The Ponte Delle Torri, Spoleto. c. 1840-5. Oil paint on Canvas. Tate. Tate Website.
Another Romantic homage, but in pictorial form is Joseph Mallord Willam Turner’s 1819 sketch entitled The Ponte Delle Torri, Spoleto from the Valley. Read more on the Tate’s website. Turner then revisited this sketch made on his tour of Italy to create the oil painting, The Ponte delle Torri, Spoleto from 1840-1850.
It is a shame that due to earthquake damage the bridge is currently unaccessible, but believe me, the view of it is still worth the trip. The spot is equally ‘Romantic’ by night, bathed in golden light as pictured in the cover photo.
Roman Theatre and Archeological Museum
The Roman Theatre in Spoleto
The Roman Theatre in Spoleto was built in the middle of the 1st century BCE. The oldest surviving sketch of the theatre is from the 16th century and major excavations took place as recently as 1954-1960. Some of the original ‘benches’ are in tact and you will be able to envision the audience configuration in a performance during Roman times. According to Ancient World Magazine : “Like most other Roman theatres, the one in Spoleto has its seats grouped into three horizontal sections or cavea. Closest to the pit is the ima cavea, reserved for the community’s elite. Directly above is the media cavea, which was open to the general public. Women and children were usually seated further away, in the summa cavea.”
The Roman theatre is connected with the Archeological Museum, and I encourage you to visit the museum as well as it hosts ancient Roman artifacts found in the theatre and beyond. For example, there are items from a warrior's tomb as far back as the 7th-century BCE.
Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta (Spoleto Cathedral)
The Piazza Del Duomo and Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta
This impressive 12th century cathedral is located at the heart of the Piazza del Duomo after a short descent on a sloped walkway. The exterior of the church is an excellent representation of Romanesque style architecture. In particular, the semi-circular archways fit the conventional features of the Romanesque style, which was popular from the 6th-12th centuries and famously the forerunner to the popular Gothic style architecture that started to dominate in the 12th century. The facade also features a curious mosaic from 1207; it is called it is called Christ giving a Benediction.
The apse of the Spoleto Cathedral, Frescoed by Fra Filippo Lippi
The interior of the church is linked to one of my favorite (and somewhat underrated outside the realm of major Art History nerdom) Renaissance artists, Fra Filippo Lippi. The apse was frescoed by Filippo Lippi in the 16th century, and the cathedral also contains the tomb of the great artist Lippi himself as he died in 1469 while in Spoleto working. He is most famous for the blond angelic looking female figures, especially in his images of the Madonna and Child. In fact, the fresco cycle here in the apse of the Spoleto Cathedral depicts Scenes from the Life of the Virgin Mary.