iN le MarcHe - Turismo Marche

Photograph courtesy Province of Pesaro and Urbino – Municipality of Urbino
d i s c o v e r i ta l i a !
CAMELOT
IN LE MARCHE
The busy university town of Urbino is often called ‘the perfect
Renaissance city’ – and indeed the birthplace of Raphael rivalled
Florence and Siena in its day. Joe Gartman returns to find out if they
have got any of their loaned out paintings back yet…
November
January 2015
2014 italia! 51
d i s c o v e r i ta l i a !
what to see and do
➤ Palazzo Ducale & Galleria
Nazionale delle Marche
Entrance on Piazza Duca Federico
% +39 0722 322625
www.palazzoducaleurbino.it
Hours: Mon, 8:30am-2:00pm; Tue-Sun,
8:30am-7:30pm
➤ Casa Natale di Raffaello
Via Raffaello, 57
% +39 0722 320105
www.accademiaraffaello.it
Hours: Sun, 10:00am-1:00pm, Mon-Sat,
9:00am-1:00pm and 3:00pm-7:00pm
➤ Oratorio San Giovanni
Via Barocci, 31
% +39 0722 910259
Hours: Sun, 10:00am-1:00pm, Mon-Sat,
10:00am-1:00pm and 3:00pm-6:00pm
Photograph courtesy Prov
ince of Pesaro
and Urbino – Municipality
of Urbino
➤ Punto Panoramico
in Parco della Resistenza
Magical views over the city and palace.
Sunset turns the town golden. Great place
to picnic with the locals, in the shadow of
the Albornoz Fortress.
➤ Museo Diocesano Albani
Piazza Pascoli, 1
% +39 0722 2213
Honouring Pope Clement XI Albani, the
collection contains amazing treasures
of the Archdiocese of Urbino, including
illuminated manuscripts, a lectern from
Duke Federico’s library, and exquisite late
gothic art, including an extraordinary
wooden polychrome Madonna della
Misericordia. Hours: Sat & Sun, 9:30am1:30pm and 2:30pm-6:30pm
➤ Mausoleo dei Duchi
in the Chiesa di San Bernardino
% +39 0722 2568
The tombs of Duke Federico and his son
Guidobaldo, as well as that of Elizabetta
Gonzaga, are in this Renaissance church,
a mile or so east of Urbino. Hours: Daily,
8:00am-6:00pm
➤ Oratorio San Giuseppe
Via Barocci
% +39 347 6711181
On the same street as the Oratorio San
Giovanni, this small Baroque church is
worth visiting for its famous life-size plaster
presepe, or Nativity. Hours: Sun, 10:00am1:00pm, Mon-Sat, 10:00am-1:00pm and
3:00pm-6:00pm
52 italia! January
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2015
2014
Images, main,
then inset top
to bottom: With
a pale sun, the
hills beyond,
and perhaps a
hint of mist, the
view over Urbino
from the Punto
Panoramico
brings to mind
the idea of some
Italian Camelot
– and this is
not so far from
the truth; locals
stroll around
the Piazza della
Repubblica at
sunset; view
from the arcade
of the Cortile
at the Palazzo
Ducale; the
city as it would
have looked in
the days of the
Renaissance
S
tanding at the Punto
Panoramico, near the walls
of the forbidding Albornoz
fortress overlooking
Urbino, it is difficult to
avoid a certain gentle melancholy.
It’s Sunday, the last morning of our
weekend in the city of Federico da
Montefeltro. Below us, houses of
rose-tinged brick line the narrow
streets, and the city seems to
embrace the beautiful palace. It’s a
scene that speaks of past glories, like
a story from an old volume in the
Duke’s famous library. Urbino’s past
might seem to be a romance, or a
legend like Arthur’s fabled Camelot;
for, once upon a time long ago, in
Urbino as in Camelot, the ideals
of gentility, honour, and nobility
flourished. But in Urbino, it wasn’t
an imagined, poetic idyll. The story
was true.
Urbino’s hills rise from the
Adriatic coast and the city is
perched in serene isolation among
them. The nearest rail station is
in Pesaro, a coastal town 20 miles
away. Urbino is often called the
“perfect Renaissance city”, but it’s
not an empty set within its stone
walls. It’s a lively town that hosts
a busy university. It has several
serious claims to fame, beginning
with Duke Federico himself, the
great general-for-hire who ruled
wisely and peaceably over his own
small domain. There’s Raphael, too,
the local kid who made good, and
Giovanni Santi, court painter and
Raphael’s dad. Piero della Francesca
worked for Federico at one time,
and so did Pedro Berruguete, a
Spanish painter of genius who made
a brilliant portrait of the Duke and
his son, Guidobaldo. The National
Gallery of the Marches, housed in the
Ducal Palace, contains paintings by
these worthies as well as by Titian,
Paolo Uccello, and Melozzo da Forli.
Federico’s Ducal Palace is a work
of art in itself. It is widely held to be
the best and most beautiful of Italian
Renaissance palaces, and I certainly
can’t argue the point. The cortile is
an elegant demonstration of ideal
Renaissance proportions. Graceful
arcades surround the courtyard, and
there is an undeniably comfortable
feeling of harmonious, human
scale. It was designed by Luciano
Laurana, from Dalmatia, across the
Adriatic. Luciano was responsible
for much of the palace, but left town
mysteriously after 12 years and was
replaced by other architects, whose
identities are hotly argued among
scholars. Donato Bramante may have
been one.
The palace, and its art collection,
deserves at least a whole afternoon’s
attention. So, on Friday, after
checking into our B&B at the top
of steep Via Raffaello, we tripped
lightly down the hill toward Piazza
della Repubblica, blithely ignoring
the fact that we would have to
trudge back up in the evening. The
entrance to the palace is opposite the
Duomo, just a couple of blocks past
the piazza.
The rooms in the palace are
mostly bare of decoration, but
their vaulting is elegant and their
fireplaces very grand. It is a perfect
setting for the world-class collection
of art. My favourite piece may be the
mysterious Flagellation by Piero della
Francesca. It’s startling because far
in the background, Christ is being
flogged; but dominating the picture
in the foreground are three exotically
dressed men ignoring the scene and
having a casual conversation. I sure
wish I could talk to Piero or the
Duke and find out who they are!
Another striking painting,
possibly by Piero, is an exquisitely
detailed view of an impossibly
perfect Renaissance city – perfect
perspective, perfectly proportioned
buildings, a piazza in the foreground
perfectly spotless, no litter, no
animals, no pigeons, no dirt – and
no people. It’s called La Città Ideale
– The Ideal City. If there was ever a
painting of silence, this is it. There
is no consensus about who painted
it. I asked the guard if he thought
it was Piero’s work. “It’s a painting
of architecture, no?” he said.
“Beautiful, like the palace. Piero was
a genius, a great painter, but Laurana
was a painter, too, and architect.
Laurana painted it – sicuramente!”
I’m inclined to agree with him; he
seemed a man of discrimination
– after all, he complimented my
Italian! (At least I think he did.)
I wanted to see Piero’s Madonna
di Senigallia, but it had been loaned
for exhibition elsewhere – again.
This Madonna is a peripatetic
lady; she was on loan the last time
I was here, too, and that’s not
Photography © Pat Gartman unless stated
➤ Piazzale Roma Park and
Monument to Raphael
At the top of Via Raffaello, this small
park offers you views over the city and
surrounding countryside, a huge statue of
Raphael, and pathways lined with busts of
famous Urbino residents.
November
January 2015
2014 italia! 53
of Pesaro
rtesy Province
bino
Photograph cou
nicipality of Ur
Mu
–
o
bin
Ur
and
Photograph cou
rtesy Province
of Pesaro
and Urbino –
Municipality of
Urbino
54 italia! January
September
2015
2014
Photograph courtesy Province of Pesaro and Urbino – Municipality of Urbino
Photograph cou
rtesy Province
of Pesaro
and Urbino –
Municipality of
Urbino
d i s c o v e r i ta l i a !
the first time she’s been missing.
In the 1970s she was stolen as part
of a large art heist, but luckily was
recovered in Switzerland.
Raphael’s Portrait of a Young
Woman – La Muta, had also been
loaned last time, and this time she
was away for restoration. I wish I
could have seen her in person. In the
photos I’ve seen, she seems to have
her mouth set rather firmly, as if she
had nothing more to say and dared
anybody to ask. La Muta, indeed.
Ah well – I hope to return to Urbino
again, and third time’s the charm!
Wandering around the palace,
(and sometimes you can wander
around quite a lot without
meeting anyone), you’ll eventually
come to a cozy room lined with
wooden cupboard doors. You’ll
be surprised, at first, that some
of the doors are ajar, exposing the
cupboard contents: jumbled books,
candlesticks, hourglasses, musical
instruments and much more. But
all the objects have the rich, golden
hue of fine varnished wood, and you
soon realize the cupboard doors,
miracles of illusionistic intarsia
woodwork, are closed. The skilled
artisans who created them are not
known by name. Some scholars have
suggested that Botticelli may have
had a hand in the design. Above the
cabinets are portraits of great men,
including Dante, Homer, Solomon
and Petrarch. This room was Duke
Federico’s studiolo, and it is the most
famous of such places in Italy. Just
a few steps away from the studiolo
is the balcony from which the Duke
could survey his domain.
Down a small set of stairs, the
Duke could visit his two small
private chapels, one Christian (the
Cappella del Perdono) and one
pagan (the Tempietto delle Muse).
An inscription says, approximately,
“These small chapels are united with
Images, main,
then inset top to
bottom: Another
perspective on
the Cortile at
the Palazzo
Ducale; Raphael’s
Portrait of a
Young Woman,
aka La Muta,
‘the Silent One’
(c.1507-08);
miracles of
illusionistic
intarsia
woodwork in the
Palace; entrance
to the birthplace
of Raphael;
the statue of
Raphael as a
child in his
childhood home;
salumi of the
region, and
beyond, on sale
at the Saturday
market
only a little difference: one is sacred
to the Muses, and one to God.”
The Duke’s interest in the Muses,
even having a chapel dedicated to
them, is an indication of his interest
in classical Greek and Roman
thought, an interest he shared with
other humanists of the Renaissance.
His court became an important
center of artistic and intellectual
activity, second only to Florence in
fame. It is ironic that the greatest
testament to the glory of Urbino’s
court, Baldassare Castiglione’s Book
of the Courtier, dealt with events after
Federico’s death.
Published in 1528, the book
describes conversations that took
place in the palace while Federico’s
son Guidobaldo was Duke. Ladies
and gentlemen of the court discussed
ethics, friendship, love, honour,
and the duties people owe to each
other. Guidobaldo was an invalid,
so his Duchess, Elizabetta Gonzaga,
presided over the gatherings.
Castiglione’s work was hugely
influential in its time, and cemented
Urbino’s reputation as a centre of
civilized grace and culture.
Having stood on the Duke’s
balcony – well, actually, a balcony
one floor below his, but who’s
counting? – we began the trudge
back up Via Raffaello. A number of
young people were climbing the hill,
too, probably students heading for
the Accademia di Belle Arti. I felt
a rather perverse pleasure hearing
them gasping a bit, as I was, but
they passed me anyway.
We paused for breath and
noticed, at number 57, that the brick
façade sported an impressive marble
portal around tall, double wooden
doors. We’d found the childhood
home of Raffaello Sanzio, the great
High Renaissance painter known
to English speakers as Raphael. We
decided we had just enough time to
visit; besides, it gave us a perfectly
good excuse for a breather.
Inside, the house is a handsome
example of a 15th century urban
home. Raphael’s family evidently
lived comfortably – there are arched
doorways, large fireplaces, and lovely,
mullioned windows. Raphael’s father,
Giovanni Santi, was court painter
to Duke Federico, who appears to
have treated him well. (Giovanni
was dismissed by Vasari as a “pittore
non molto eccellente” – not a very good
painter. Vasari didn’t know it at the
time, but this would become his own
future reputation.)
Unfortunately, there are no works
by Raphael in the house, barring
a Madonna that may have been
an early work. There are copies of
some of his paintings, including the
portrait of La Fornarina, Raphael’s
purported mistress. A surprising
object is an odd statue of Raphael,
aged about 12, with long hair and
wearing a dress. He looks exactly like
a young girl.
At any rate, Raphael was not
only a roaring success after he left
Urbino, but was reputed to be a
very amiable fellow whose early
death grieved everyone who knew
him, except, possibly, a few artistic
rivals. Maybe it was his small-town
background that accounted for his
likeability. Or perhaps the virtues of
the Montefeltro court existed even
before Castiglione, and influenced
the young son of the Court Painter.
On Saturday morning we found
a lively market just outside our
windows, with stalls beneath the
trees lining Viale Buozzi. Flowers,
clothes, shoes, fruit and vegetables,
meat and fish, cheese – it was a
colourful array that extended nearly
a half-mile along a ridge, with
sweeping views over the countryside.
I enjoyed the stroll, but avoided the
fishmongers – too many beady eyes
staring reproachfully from beneath
the glass.
After coffee and a cornetto semplice,
we were ready to visit the Oratorio
di San Giovanni, a small church
built in 1365. It is nestled at the
end of a small street, a humble little
structure in the Gothic style. It has
served as a hospice for the sick, and
as the home of the Brotherhood of
San Giovanni Battisti since 1395.
On its walls are famous frescoes by
Lorenzo and Jacopo Salimbeni, two
brothers who were important lateGothic artists. Imagine our dismay
when we found the church filled
with scaffolding. Dismay became
delight when we were invited to
climb up and get a close look at the
colourful scenes of the life of St John
(a rare opportunity). We watched
the restorers at work; I must say
where to stay and eat
➤ Albergo Italia
Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi, 32
% +39 0722 2701
www.albergo-italia-urbino.it
Conveniently central location on the
arcaded Corso Garibaldi with the Duomo
and the Ducal Palace on one side and the
Albornoz Fortress on the other. Modern,
comfortable rooms. The excellent buffet
breakfast will set you up nicely for a day’s
sightseeing and museum visiting. Double
rooms from €80 to €120.
➤ B&B Albornoz
Via dei Maceri, 23
% +39 347 298 7897
www.bbalbornoz.com
At the top of Via Rafaello, near Fortezza
Albornoz, Punto Panoramico, and Piazzale
Roma Park. Very much in the B&B tradition
with just three roomy doubles on three
floors, each with its own small kitchenette,
not to mention glorious views over the city
and surrounding countryside. Warm, helpful
and friendly hosts. Rooms from €70 to 80.
➤ Caffe dell’Accademia
Via Piano del Monte, 2
% +39 0722 4285
Next to the School of Fine Arts and Piazzale
Roma Park. Popular with students and
locals, with a friendly, cheerful staff. A
great place to stop for for breakfast cornetti
and coffee, and to return to for a light
lunch. Inexpensive.
➤ Bar da Mariella
Via Nazario Sauro, 2
% +39 07 224422
Just off Via Vittorio Veneto, right in the
centre of Urbino, this small sandwich shop
has a large selection of fresh panini and
tramezzini, plus salads, coffee, beer, wine,
and everything you could hope for. Funky,
kitsch atmosphere and a personable owner.
Also inexpensive.
➤ Atabulus Libreria & Enoteca
Piazza Rinascimento, 7
% 39 0722 2685
A bookstore, wine bar, and restaurant all
rolled into one. Hosted by friendly staff
who are serious about wine and food, and
who contribute to a slightly “alternative
lifestyle” atmosphere. Moderate prices.
➤ Rafaello Degusteria
Via Bramante 6/8/10
% +39 0722 329546
www.raffaellodegusteria.it
A fine selection of wines, meats and
cheeses. The perfect place to go to if you
want to create a picnic menu for the Punto
Panoramico. It also has pasta, sauces,
honeys, oils and other foodstuffs from Le
Marche region.
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2014 italia! 55
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Images, main,
then inset top
to bottom: The
Oratorio di San
Giovanni is
currently under
restoration; a
flower stall at
the Saturday
market, which
extends for
nearly half a
mile and sells
anything you
might need;
Raphael’s statue
in the Piazzale
Roma park;
restorer’s tools
at the Oratorio
– the syringes
are for injecting
material into the
hollows created
between the
fresco and the
wall
it seemed almost surgical – a young
man tap-tap-tapping the plaster,
and then injecting material into the
hollow between the wall and the
fresco with a giant syringe.
In the evening we strolled in the
park at the top of Via Raffaello, with
a monumental statue of the artist at
its centre, and busts of other famous
Urbino residents. Giovanni Santi,
Donato Bramante, and Piero della
Francesca are all there, of course. The
park has great views, and a strange
characteristic: as you climb Via
Raffaello toward it, the statue seems
to rise up from the crest of the hill, as
if Raphael is emerging from the earth.
We watched the sun set as
Raphael quietly surveyed his
hometown, where long ago people
dreamed of La Città Ideale. And
next morning we stood at the
Punto Panoramico to say goodbye.
I thought of Castiglione and his
famous book, which is tinged with
56 italia! January
September
2015
2014
sadness. By 1527 Rome had been
sacked and the political map of Italy
changed day-to-day as easily as an
etch-a-sketch.
Castiglione knew that the
cultured ease of Urbino was doomed.
Many of the people he wrote about
were dead before the book was
published. He remarked, as if saying
farewell: “Nor do I believe that the
sweetness that is had from a beloved
company was ever savoured in any
other place, as it once was there.”
The grace of the Renaissance
still inhabits Urbino: the beauty and
harmony of the palace, and the art
within; the perfect hilltop setting of
the city; the views from the Duke’s
balcony over green, rolling hills; the
University, still a seat of learning
after 500 years. The city remains
a symbol of all that was noble and
harmonious long ago, when a few
Italian towns awoke from their long
Medieval slumber.
getting there
➤ By plane
The nearest airports are Ancona and
Rimini. Bologna has more flights, and is
about 2 hours away by car.
➤ By TRAIN
The nearest rail station is Pesaro. Buses
depart for Urbino frequently from a
terminal area a few steps from the
station (turn right as you exit). Express
buses (Rapido) take 45 minutes; the
regular service 55 minutes. Bus tickets
from the station bar. A return ticket
costs less and saves time in Urbino.
INFORMATION
➤ One tourist information office is in
the Borgo Mercatale, outside the Porta
Valbona gate, next to the elevator that
takes you from the main bus parking
area to the upper city. Another is
across from Piazza Duca Federico, at
Via Puccinotti 35. Ask about the Urbino
Tourist Card, which includes reduced
admission to eight major sites.