Urbino

Urbino is one of the most unique and interesting cities in Italy. Many believe it is even more beautiful and with more impressive historical heritage than Florence. Urbino is located in the north eastern Italian region of Marche, it is located southwest of Pesaro. Although it seems to be a more important settlement during the Roman Empire and then, Urbino reached its flowering during the Italian Renaissance and today has many historical monuments of this period, Urbino has even become a symbol of that era.

Of the oldest settlements in place of Urbino - Urbs Bina or Urbinum Metaurense, today there are almost no traces, but at the expense of this, the medieval heritage of the city is enormous. Urbino is a historic town built on two hills, which are associated with 4 main roads and most of them are still surrounded by massive walls and strong gates. Furthermore, Urbino is included in the UNESCO list of World Cultural and Historical Heritage Sites in 1998.

Located about 30 kilometers from the Adriatic coast, Urbino and the Italian region here are not the most attractive tourist destinations, but hundreds of thousands of people from around the world come to examine the many landmarks. If you come to Urbino by car, it is better to leave it at one of the parking lots at the entrance to town and get a bus to the central part. The tourist bureau can offer any useful information and the city has a cathedral near the central square.

Today Urbino is a university city, tourist destination and an important part of the historical heritage of Italy, which has preserved the emanation of the Renaissance. If an Italian has not visited even once in their life Urbino, it is considered a real crime. Although it was there even in Roman times, Urbino marks its apogee during the 15-16 century, when Duke Federico da Montefeltro creates a powerful autonomous region and one of the most stable courts across Europe. By 1631 Urbino was ruled by Della Roveres. The town became part of the Kingdom of Italy in 1860.

As one of the cultural capitals of Italy, Urbino is a city of artists, historians and archaeologists. The historic city center is composed of houses and monuments dating back to 15-16 century and creating a special atmosphere that can not be felt in any of the larger cities. You can not miss the Palazzo Ducale, known as the Ducal Palace, where the headquarters of the Montefeltro family were. Today this part of Urbino is an important example of Renaissance architecture.

The palace is located in Piazzale Duca Federico, and its final restoration was completed in 1985. Since then, the Palazzo Ducale is one of the biggest tourist attractions and historical monuments not only in Urbino , but also throughout Italy. The castle was built in the late 15th century by order of Federico II da Montefeltro. Today the Palazzo Ducale houses Galleria Nazionale Delle Marche, which contains one of the most important collections of Renaissance paintings in the world.

Among other attractions of Urbino is a fortress, locally known simply as La Fortezza. Remarkable and interesting is the cathedral of Urbino, called by the Italians just Duomo. Its foundations were laid more than 10 centuries ago, but from then until today, the cathedral has undergone many transformations.

An earthquake in the 18th century, caused major structural damage, but it was completely restored in 1801 when the architect Giuseppe Valadier creates a magnificent religious building with a magnificent dome and neo-classical architecture. Inside the cathedral in Urbino you can see priceless art works such as the "Last Supper" of Federico Barocci.