Umbertide

Umbertide is a pleasant town in the Upper Tiber Valley of Umbria.  Off the beaten tourist path, it offers an delightful glimpse into everyday life in a small Umbrian town, surrounded by the tranquil sun-lit countryside.  For this reason, Umbertide and the Upper Tiber Valley are becoming popular holiday destinations, attracting those who seek unspoiled Umbria, known as the green heart of Italy and the only region of the peninsula without a seacoast. Its proximity to the Tuscan border, makes it a great home base for discovering the delights of both Umbria and Tuscan.  On Wednesdays, its outdoor market offers an array of local products to satisfy any longings for the best of regional gastronomy.  Here is a little history of the city El Marsam calls home.

In ancient times Umbertide was an important trade center on the banks of the Tiber where the Umbrians and Etruscans bartered their wares.  In Roman times it was known as Pitulum.  Artifacts confirm the existence of this village, later destroyed by barbarians and rebuilt with the name of Fratta on its present site by the sons of Uberto, Margrave of Tuscany, towards the end of the 8^th century.  It was self-governed until the 12^th century, then placed under the protection of Perugia, to put an end to the continual pillaging.  In 1643 Fratta opposed and drove back the troops of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany who had entered Umbria through the Piene Valley.  It remained under papal sway until 1860, when it was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy.  On January 25, 1863 the old name was changed to Umbertide in honor of Uberto’s sons who first rebuilt the town.

Today, the population of Umbertide reaches around 14,500.  Over the past three decades industry has increasingly replaced traditional farming.  The Upper Tiber Valley still grows tobacco, sunflowers, wheat, corn, sugar beets and olives.  In town itself, the new industries include ceramics, recycling plastics, sunflower, rapeseed and palm oil processing, lumber and automotive works.

In the center of town, the fortress, known as La Rocca, was built in the mid-14^th century and consists of a massive square tower 40 meters high and three lower crenellated keeps.  The walls are over two meters thick and formerly the gates were supplied with drawbridges.  From 1818 to 1923 it was used as a district prison.  Recently the Rocca has been completely regenerated and opened to visitors, who can now freely roam from the dungeons to the top of the highest tower.  The halls are used for cultural exhibitions and events.  In the summer months, on the inner side that faces the theater, the local cinema features films to be enjoyed outdoors in the evening.

La Collegiata, the octagonal church across from the fortress was built in the 16^th century to host a miraculous fresco-painted image that was kept in a nearby chapel.  The church was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin.  There are several more churches in the Piazza San Francesco, which in times past was known as “Borgo Inferiore”, the center of many blacksmiths’ workshops that made the town famous.  Santa Maria della Pietà is El Marsam’s parish, a Franciscan church built in 1486 and typical of Franciscan architecture – simple and serene.