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Introduction
PERUGIA,
the capital of Umbria, is located SE of Florence and N of Rome at about
a distance of 60 and 70 miles respectively. The City is situated on a
hill overlooking the valley of the Tiber River. Perugia was founded by
the Umbrians and then inhabited by the Etruscans until it came under the
control of Rome in c. 310 B.C. Then, in the 6th century A.D. it became
a Lombard duchy. In the 12th century it gained the status of a free commune
and gradually gained hegemony over other Umbrian cities. Perugia
was a center of learning with its "Studio Generale" which obtained university
status in 1308. During the 13th-16th cent. it was a renown center for
its Umbrian School of painting which reached its splendor with Perugino
(1445-1523), the teacher of Raphael. Noteworthy
points of interest include the imposing Palazzo dei Priori (which houses
the very important National Gallery of Umbria), the Etruscan arch, the
church of San Pietro (decorated with outstanding paintings), the Gothic
church of San Domenico (seat of an important archaeological museum), the
13th century Fontana Maggiore, a marvelous work with a series of sculptures
by Nicola Pisano (1220-c.1280) and his son Giovanni. Near Perugia is a large Etruscan cemetery with many chambers carved out in rock. The Fontana Maggiore The
Fontana Maggiore, or Main Fountain, was built to celebrate the construction
of the aqueduct that brought water to Perugia from the springs of Paciano,
a mountain about five miles from the city center. The aqueduct was completed
in 1278. The Fountain was
built and decorated by Nicola Pisano (1220-c.1280) and his son Giovanni
(1245-1320) between 1277 and 1278. The Fontana Maggiore represents the masterpiece of Perugia and it is one of the most interesting and beautiful fountains of the 13th century anywhere. Its decorations are undoubtedly focused towards the civic values of man, his activities and accomplishments during his life on earth. The Fountain is composed of two polygonal basins, the upper one with a smaller diameter. Over the upper basin there is a bronze round vessel, seven feet in diameter, with three bronze statues holding over their heads an amphora from which water pours.
Orientation (Click on an image to see a larger view)
(For convenience, the Fontana Maggiore site has been divided into three sections: Lower Basin, Middle Basin, Upper Basin. Click on the image to open the relative section. The images and comments of the three sections are best viewed beginning from the Lower Basin). Upper Basin ![]() The
bronze vessel
is seven feet in diameter and has three bronze statues.
Lower
basin
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and maintained by Gino Casagrande. Mail: Casagrande |