On two hills, 551 m above sea level, between the valleys of Metauro and Foglia rivers, Urbino rises.
Today, with Pesaro, the capital of a province of the Region of Le Marche, it has been, with the Montefeltro, the ideal city of the Renaissance.
Its historic centre has been recognised world heritage by UNESCO.
The Ducal Palace is a miracle of architecture and the façade “dei Torricini”, symbolically turned to Tuscany, has no equal in Italy.

In the area, inhabited since prehistoric times, the Roman settlement of Urvinum Metaurense probably rose in the third century b.c.
The name derives from the Latin urvum, curved handle of the plough.

In the Middle Ages, the city suffered many attacks by Goths, Byzantines, Lombards.
The Carolingians donated it to the Church.
When the Ghibellines prevailed, they enfeoffed the Montefeltro, Counts of Carpegna.

In 1444 came to the throne Frederick of Montefeltro. With him the golden age.
Enlightened ruler, leader of success, friend of Lorenzo de’ Medici, enthusiast patron, he did raise the superb palace and called him the best scholars and artists of the time.
Then Urbino influenced the cultural development of all Europe.

In 1508, extinguished the Montefeltro’s descent, the Della Rovere inherited the Duchy.
It was an equally enlightened government, but when they transferred the seat to Pesaro, for Urbino was the decline.

In 1631, with devolution to the Church, the Ducal Palace experienced a real dispossession.
Only in the early eighteenth century with Pope Clement XI, of the Albani family of Urbino, the city flourished again.

The Ducal Palace is the work of the Dalmatian architect Luciano Laurana who was able to incorporate admirably the preexistent buildings and to build on the differences of level of the land.
We owe to him the façade “dei Torricini” (almost 60 m high), the Courtyard of Honour and the monumental staircase leading to the main floor.
We owe to him the architectural jewel of the Renaissance art, then finished by Francesco di Giorgio Martini and Girolamo Genga.

Today, the Ducal Palace hosts: the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Ceramics and the National Gallery of Le Marche with the “Muta” by Raffaello Sanzio, “The ideal city” and masterpieces by Piero della Francesca, Tiziano, Paolo Uccello, Luca Signorelli, Justus of Ghent, Pedro Berruguete.

Sights: the House of Raffaello Sanzio (known as just Raphael) and, on the highest point of Urbino, the Albornoz fortress.

Noble buildings: Bonaventura Odasi Palace, that hosts the University (founded in 1506), and Albani Palace, the seat of the Diocesan Museum.

Places of worship: the Cathedral, the churches of the Holy Spirit, St. Francis, St. Dominic, the oratories of St. Joseph, St. John and of the Holy Cross.
A little outside the Church of St Bernardino, the Mausoleum of the Dukes, wanted by Frederick.

Specialized museums: Plasters Museum, Botanic Garden, Engraving Museum, Cabinet of Physics.

For people who love nature: ascent in the green until the Hill of the Capuchins, sung by Giovanni Pascoli in the poem “L’aquilone” (The kite).
Excursions into the hills of Cesane or in the Natural Reserve of the Furlo Gorge.
The guides of the Center for Environmental Education “Casa delle Vigne” are useful.

Events: in June Urbino Jazz.
In July the International Festival of Ancient Music.
In August, the Duke Day.
In September the Festival of the kite.
September is the month of Ars libraria.
Between September and November Autumn desires.
In October Words games.

City of students, Urbino has a lively cultural and night life.

Rich the playbill at the Sanzio Theater.

For gourmets: “cappelletti” or “passatelli” soup, “ravioli”, roast, rabbit “in porchetta”, “trippa alla biccichina”, and the “crescia sfogliata”, excellent with the “caciotta” of Urbino, the local ham and the rustic vegetables.
Ancient tastes like the “braciola all’urbinate” and the dish of the Duke.
Sweets: tarts and “ciambellone”.

Curio: the windy Urbino is very fine even in the modern city.
It is all ups and downs of lanes and staircases and has evocative glimpses of landscape.
The historic centre, built entirely in brick, at sunset seems to assume a golden hue.
Urbino is the birthplace of Raphael, Clement XI, Paolo Volponi, Valentino Rossi.

Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa