Spoleto

Yesterday I traveled to Norcia and look forward to sharing the visit. However, getting there involved a layover, between train and bus rides, in the small city of Spoleto, the subject of this post. Making the most of the day involved an early walk down to the Santa Maria degli Angeli train station, with the moon shining over Assisi.

At the train station in Spoleto one is greeted by a large sculpture of… I 'm not sure what it is.

However, one may use it to frame a picture of the city all the way up to its ancient Fourteenth Century fortress, Rocca Albornoziana.

I'm pretty sure the person behind the construction of this fortress, Cardinal Albornoz, was the same person behind the reconstruction of Assisi's Rocca Maggiore fortress. The steeple below and to the right of the Rocca is part of Spoleto's Duomo, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, one of my two destinations before catching the bus to Norcia. As one approaches the Duomo, the roads and walkways steepen sharply, a problem the people of Spoleto solved by constructing escalators (a relatively new addition to the Duomo's eight century history). One of the lower escalators may be seen just to the left of the wall section below.

Spoleto's history goes back at least a couple of centuries B.C. At one point its citizens fended off an attack by Hannibal. Many centuries later (1155) the city was ravaged by Frederick Barbarossa. Fortunately the Duomo, built between 1175 and 1227, is still standing, a very beautiful church.

It also has an impressive piazza in front.

A piazza that, as this old photo demonstrates, can fill up on occasion.

Inside, the apse area is wonderfully decorated by the famous Renaissance artist Filippo Lippi and his pupils, portraying scenes from the life of Mary.

 Here is another fresco.

Walking up to and around the Rocca Albornoziana led to my second short-visit destination, the Ponte delle Torri, a Thirteenth Century aqueduct that spans a deep canyon.

Not long ago one could stroll across this remarkable structure. However, last year's earthquakes raised safety concerns, resulting in the bridge being closed. There is much else to see in Spoleto; however, with Norcia as a destination on this day, other treasures would have to wait. It was time to head back down to the bus stop.
Ciao.
P.S. Research results: the Spoleto train station sculpture (1962), is called Teodelapio, named after a Lomabard duke. It's called a stabile as opposed to a mobile, probably a good thing in light of its size and weight….