49 UrbinoVF ©
Copyright PS
Historic hilltown of Urbino from the strada panoramica. Marches, Italy.
Celebrated URBINO. Clustered in attractive composition across the saddle of two hills, it stands above honeyed ramparts looking sharp, and expressing its humanity and history. Here’s an Early Renaissance hilltop city with medieval skirts, mellowed yet intact. This place has the distinct identity of a built personality, with its blended brickwork delineated from agricultural surroundings by its encircling walls.
Urbino is exceptional for the way its growth layering has such a feeling of homogeneous continuity, additive instead of disruptive. Supported terraces strengthen the natural contours. Old palaces still stand and the buildings gain new refinements as benign veneers of time.
Urbino was ceded in the 12thC to the Montefeltro family who ruled and guided it until the 16thC. During the 15thC time of Federico da Montefeltro, Count and then Duke, it became a great Renaissance art centre and produced more works for its size than any city in Italy. As patron, Federico commissioned many artists from the whole country and beyond, such as Luca Signorelli, Piero della Francesca, and Justus of Ghent. Also, under patronage of his Court, Donato Bramante and Raphael Santi grew up and started training here. Federico supported architecture above all, and gained admiration of his people through the “magnificence” of his residence. Federico’s son Guidobaldo carried on his father’s work but with much-reduced funding. Around 1630 the Papal State ended Urbino’s autonomy, re-establishing control by the Church, and Urbino became frozen in a long decline.
Sensitive development has recently revived this town’s life for the future. It’s become an outstanding example of urban design as humane overlayering resulting from in-depth reading of appropriate qualities and setting. Yet limited economy means we may still find corners of dusty melancholy.......... cont'd>
© PS
Enlarge
Click diagonal arrows upper-right; then can press F11Fullscreen. Await re-focus.
UNESCO World Heritage Site:
.
.
Piero della Francesca, 1451.
www.facebook.com/sarodibartolophotography/photos/40087855...
49 UrbinoVF ©
Copyright PS
Historic hilltown of Urbino from the strada panoramica. Marches, Italy.
Celebrated URBINO. Clustered in attractive composition across the saddle of two hills, it stands above honeyed ramparts looking sharp, and expressing its humanity and history. Here’s an Early Renaissance hilltop city with medieval skirts, mellowed yet intact. This place has the distinct identity of a built personality, with its blended brickwork delineated from agricultural surroundings by its encircling walls.
Urbino is exceptional for the way its growth layering has such a feeling of homogeneous continuity, additive instead of disruptive. Supported terraces strengthen the natural contours. Old palaces still stand and the buildings gain new refinements as benign veneers of time.
Urbino was ceded in the 12thC to the Montefeltro family who ruled and guided it until the 16thC. During the 15thC time of Federico da Montefeltro, Count and then Duke, it became a great Renaissance art centre and produced more works for its size than any city in Italy. As patron, Federico commissioned many artists from the whole country and beyond, such as Luca Signorelli, Piero della Francesca, and Justus of Ghent. Also, under patronage of his Court, Donato Bramante and Raphael Santi grew up and started training here. Federico supported architecture above all, and gained admiration of his people through the “magnificence” of his residence. Federico’s son Guidobaldo carried on his father’s work but with much-reduced funding. Around 1630 the Papal State ended Urbino’s autonomy, re-establishing control by the Church, and Urbino became frozen in a long decline.
Sensitive development has recently revived this town’s life for the future. It’s become an outstanding example of urban design as humane overlayering resulting from in-depth reading of appropriate qualities and setting. Yet limited economy means we may still find corners of dusty melancholy.......... cont'd>
© PS
Enlarge
Click diagonal arrows upper-right; then can press F11Fullscreen. Await re-focus.
UNESCO World Heritage Site:
.
.
Piero della Francesca, 1451.
www.facebook.com/sarodibartolophotography/photos/40087855...