Orvieto
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By Dion Protani
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Latest update: 30 December 2023
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Situated in the Province of Terni, the hill town of Orvieto has a population of 20,148 inhabitants. One of the Umbria region's most popular visitor attractions, the town stands at an elevation of 325 metres above sea level and lies 76 kilometres south west of Perugia, the regional capital of Umbria.
Highlights for visitors to Orvieto include the Cathedral, the Pozzo di San Patrizio well and the underground tunnelling system. The town is also famous for its wines which can be sampled at any of the town's various enotecas. |
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History of Orvieto: Etruscan Origins and Plentiful Pontiffs
Orvieto is one of the most beautiful hill towns in Italy and it's worth taking a step back to admire it from a distance first. It sits atop a steep tufa rock; the kind of strategic defensive position that would have appealed to its Etruscan founders.
Sadly that defensive position wasn't enough to save the town from Roman invaders in the third century BC but it recovered well in the intervening years to become one of the most prosperous cities of the medieval age. The Black Death in 1348 almost sounded the death knell for the town but it gained lustre in later years by the presence of popes with more than 30 different pontiffs calling it home at one time or another.
Orvieto is one of the most beautiful hill towns in Italy and it's worth taking a step back to admire it from a distance first. It sits atop a steep tufa rock; the kind of strategic defensive position that would have appealed to its Etruscan founders.
Sadly that defensive position wasn't enough to save the town from Roman invaders in the third century BC but it recovered well in the intervening years to become one of the most prosperous cities of the medieval age. The Black Death in 1348 almost sounded the death knell for the town but it gained lustre in later years by the presence of popes with more than 30 different pontiffs calling it home at one time or another.
Pozzo di San Patrizio (Saint Patrick's Well) and Around
One of those popes was Clement VII, the Medici pope who denied Henry VIII the chance to marry Ann Boleyn and presided over the sack of Rome in 1527 which saw him flee to Orvieto. Afraid of attack and the possibility of a siege mounted by the Holy Roman Emperor, he insisted that a well be created in order to guarantee fresh water supplies. The well was designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger and whilst the siege never came to pass, his Pozzo di San Patrizio (the well) was one of the most remarkable engineering feats of its time.
Located at the eastern edge of the town it consists of an ingenious double stairwell around a central cylinder that allowed donkeys to bring the water up separate staircases without impeding each other. I've never said this about a well before but this one really is a thing of beauty, given extra sparkle by the 70 windows that line its 248 steps.
The Pozzo di San Patrizio is situated at the eastern end of the town next to the Rocca Albornoz fortress which was built in the 14th century which is not to be confused with the similarly-named castle: the Rocca Albornoziana in nearby Spoleto. At this same eastern area of the town is an archeological park of Etruscan ruins that also provides some breathtaking views across the Umbrian hills.
One of those popes was Clement VII, the Medici pope who denied Henry VIII the chance to marry Ann Boleyn and presided over the sack of Rome in 1527 which saw him flee to Orvieto. Afraid of attack and the possibility of a siege mounted by the Holy Roman Emperor, he insisted that a well be created in order to guarantee fresh water supplies. The well was designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger and whilst the siege never came to pass, his Pozzo di San Patrizio (the well) was one of the most remarkable engineering feats of its time.
Located at the eastern edge of the town it consists of an ingenious double stairwell around a central cylinder that allowed donkeys to bring the water up separate staircases without impeding each other. I've never said this about a well before but this one really is a thing of beauty, given extra sparkle by the 70 windows that line its 248 steps.
The Pozzo di San Patrizio is situated at the eastern end of the town next to the Rocca Albornoz fortress which was built in the 14th century which is not to be confused with the similarly-named castle: the Rocca Albornoziana in nearby Spoleto. At this same eastern area of the town is an archeological park of Etruscan ruins that also provides some breathtaking views across the Umbrian hills.
Piazza del Duomo and Orvieto Cathedral
Most people that come to Orvieto do so in order to visit the magnificent cathedral. Originally started in 1290, it was finally finished in 1591 while its facade is one of the most recognisable examples of the Italian Gothic architectural style. Orvieto Cathedral stands imperious, rising to a height of 52 metres above Piazza del Duomo.
The beautiful square is also home to the complex of buildings that once housed the popes, a complex that now includes the Cathedral's museum (Museo dell'Opera del Duomo), an archeological museum (Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Orvieto) and the Museo Emilio Greco.
Piazza del Duomo also provides the entrance to the fascinating Orvieto Underground experience where you can explore the incredible system of more than a thousand caves and tunnels that have been dug out of the town's rocky underworld since its foundation some two and a half to three thousand years ago.
Most people that come to Orvieto do so in order to visit the magnificent cathedral. Originally started in 1290, it was finally finished in 1591 while its facade is one of the most recognisable examples of the Italian Gothic architectural style. Orvieto Cathedral stands imperious, rising to a height of 52 metres above Piazza del Duomo.
The beautiful square is also home to the complex of buildings that once housed the popes, a complex that now includes the Cathedral's museum (Museo dell'Opera del Duomo), an archeological museum (Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Orvieto) and the Museo Emilio Greco.
Piazza del Duomo also provides the entrance to the fascinating Orvieto Underground experience where you can explore the incredible system of more than a thousand caves and tunnels that have been dug out of the town's rocky underworld since its foundation some two and a half to three thousand years ago.
Beyond Piazza del Duomo
Heading away from the Cathedral Square, north-west along Via del Duomo you'll pass a number of shops selling ceramics as well as the local wines, before reaching an intersection with Corso Cavour. At this point you can enjoy the opposite type of view from those enjoyed underground by making your way to the top of the Torre del Moro clock tower which provides some of the best panoramas of the local landscapes and of the city itself.
Directly north of the Torre del Moro is one of the most attractive squares in Orvieto: Piazza del Popolo where bars and restaurants look across to the historic Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo. Another of the best squares is Piazza della Repubblica which lies at the end of the busy Como Cavour, west of the Torre del Moro. If it weren't for the incredible cathedral and the unique well, perhaps this square would provide the most iconic sight in Orvieto with the beautiful bell tower next to the Collegiata dei Santi Andrea e Bartolomeo church.
Heading away from the Cathedral Square, north-west along Via del Duomo you'll pass a number of shops selling ceramics as well as the local wines, before reaching an intersection with Corso Cavour. At this point you can enjoy the opposite type of view from those enjoyed underground by making your way to the top of the Torre del Moro clock tower which provides some of the best panoramas of the local landscapes and of the city itself.
Directly north of the Torre del Moro is one of the most attractive squares in Orvieto: Piazza del Popolo where bars and restaurants look across to the historic Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo. Another of the best squares is Piazza della Repubblica which lies at the end of the busy Como Cavour, west of the Torre del Moro. If it weren't for the incredible cathedral and the unique well, perhaps this square would provide the most iconic sight in Orvieto with the beautiful bell tower next to the Collegiata dei Santi Andrea e Bartolomeo church.
Comune di Orvieto
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Province: Terni
Region: Umbria Population: 19,689 (source: ISTAT 1 January 2023) Size: 281 km² Elevation: 325 metres Highlights: Cathedral, Papal Residence, Pozzo di San Patrizio Close by: Lake Corbara, Allerona, Civitella del Lago Recommended accommodation: Hotel Palazzo Piccolomini |
Orvieto Travel
There are some interesting travel options available in and around Orvieto. Despite its hill top perch, the town does have a train station which is down at ground level and accessed via a funicular railway system that brings you out on to Piazza Cahen, just a short walk from the Pozzi di San Patrizio and the Rocca Albornoz.
From Piazza Cahen to Piazza del Duomo is a ten minute walk of one kilometre. Trains run south to Rome with a journey time of an hour and 20 minutes, stopping along the way at the nearby hill town of Orte (44 minutes) which shares some topographical similarities with Orvieto. Heading in the opposite direction, the northbound trains go as far as Milan, stopping along the way at Arezzo and Florence among others.
Although driving in the town centre is only allowed for residents or permit holders, arriving by car is still a viable option. There are some innovative car parking options in Orvieto such as the one accessed along the western approach road up the hill. Although it's a long way up to the town centre, most of that distance can be travelled using a clever system of escalators.
A car opens up some interesting possibilities with the incredible hill town of Cività di Bagnoregio in Lazio a half an hour drive away (22 km), while south west of Orvieto is Lake Bolsena where there are a series of pretty lakeside towns such as Bolsena, Marta and Capodimonte. The most convenient airport for Orvieto is Perugia Airport which is 78 kilometres away, a drive of around an hour and a quarter.
From Piazza Cahen to Piazza del Duomo is a ten minute walk of one kilometre. Trains run south to Rome with a journey time of an hour and 20 minutes, stopping along the way at the nearby hill town of Orte (44 minutes) which shares some topographical similarities with Orvieto. Heading in the opposite direction, the northbound trains go as far as Milan, stopping along the way at Arezzo and Florence among others.
Although driving in the town centre is only allowed for residents or permit holders, arriving by car is still a viable option. There are some innovative car parking options in Orvieto such as the one accessed along the western approach road up the hill. Although it's a long way up to the town centre, most of that distance can be travelled using a clever system of escalators.
A car opens up some interesting possibilities with the incredible hill town of Cività di Bagnoregio in Lazio a half an hour drive away (22 km), while south west of Orvieto is Lake Bolsena where there are a series of pretty lakeside towns such as Bolsena, Marta and Capodimonte. The most convenient airport for Orvieto is Perugia Airport which is 78 kilometres away, a drive of around an hour and a quarter.
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By car: Lake Bolsena - 31 mins, Terni - 1 hour, Spoleto - 1 hr 23 min
Fly to: Perugia Airport - 1 hour 9 minutes by car (78 km) |
