Monuments of the Romanesque, Gothic and Contemporary art

Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta Lugnano in Teverina
It is a major Romanesque work of art dating back to the 12th century. Before the façade - which is decorated with a refined rose window - is a portico with spiral columns. Inside, there is a beautiful raised altar and a tessellated floor.

Orvieto Cathedral
The Cathedral’s façade – an impressive masterpiece of the Gothic style designed by Lorenzo Maitani – towers over Orvieto from the high cliff. The construction of the Cathedral – due to the fact that a place to keep the Corporal of Bolsena was needed - began in the 13th century and lasted several centuries. Many of the major Italian artists of the time took part in the works.

Signorelli's frescoes in San Brizio chapel in the Orvieto Cathedral
The cycle of frescoes that entirely decorate the chapel with scenes of the Last Judgement is one of the major works of painting of the 15th century. The frescoes in the chapel were painted in part by Beato Angelico, and in part by Luca Signorelli. To be also mentioned are the frescoes in the Corporal Chapel and those in the apse painted by Ugolino di Prete Ilario.

"Pala dei Francescani"
by Piermatteo d'Amelia
" Pinacoteca" of Terni
It is one of the major works of the 15th century. Piermatteo d’Amelia was one of the most famous artists of that period and, indeed, he was asked to paint the Sistine Chapel before Michelangelo. He was the author of the frescoes of the Toscolano “edicola” (a small chapel) in Avigliano Umbro, and of other works in Narni, Amelia and Orvieto.

In the southern part of Umbria several interesting paintings can be admired: as for the Middle Ages, the frescoes of San Pietro in Valle (12th century) and the “Pala con la Madonna tra i Santi”, painted by the Master of Cesi in 1308, are among the most interesting ones. The most important work of the 14th century is no doubt the Monaldeschi polyptych by Simone Martini, kept in the “Opera del Duomo” museum in Orvieto.
The major works of the 15th century are the “Pala dei Francescani” by Piermatteo d’Amelia (“Pinacoteca” of Terni), the “Incoronazione della Vergine” by Ghirlandaio (“Pinacoteca” of Narni), the frescoes in the Paradisi Chapel painted by Bartolomeo di Tommaso (San Francesco church – Terni) and, above all, the decoration of San Brizio chapel (Duomo of Orvieto).
Not to be forgotten are other important artists such as Beato Angelico, Gentile da Fabriano, Benozzo Gozzoli (“Madonna fra gli angeli” – “Pinacoteca” of Terni), Vecchietta, Paolo Alunno, Pomarancio, Spagna, the Zuccari brothers, Cavalier D’Arpino, Gerolamo Troppa and Andrea Polinori.