After a much needed nap, we headed out to explore the city. For a quick overview of this town, I highly recommend you read this article by Georgette Jupe.
Via Porta Fuga was the street on which we lived our one year sojourn in 2010. Walking up this hill takes us to the historical center. Its origins date back as far as 241 BC. Interestingly, Spoleto was attacked by Hannibal, who was forced to retreat, by the resistance of its inhabitants (at the spot in which we are standing) saving Rome from his advances. The town really came to form in the 6th century, when one of the Dukes of Longobard made it his official residence.
This is Giampiero, the shoe cobbler. Yes, there is still a shoe cobbler in town.
This beautiful church was closed for earthquake repairs, the entire year we were here. It was special to finally enter into its opulent interior.
Seems that Spoletini have a history of graffiti for centuries!
Steve stands before the 13th century aqueduct and bridge, il Ponte delle Torre. It is now closed to pedestrians, but some of our most unforgettable memories came from traversing this amazing structure and exploring the forest beyond.
Is there anything more scenic than the rooftops of a medieval city?
While strolling, we got caught in a downpour (a tradition every afternoon, it seems). We conveniently found ourselves in the Percorso Meccanizzato Ponzianina-Rocca (aka the Travellator) again. This was a stalled project when we lived here. For 17 years (and 58 million euro), they worked on this project. The problem was that every time they dug, they found more and more ancient ruins. This town as been around longer than Rome so you can imagine all that was uncovered. So very, very cool.
Norma and Laurie arranged a dinner with some of our Spoleto friends. How truly magical our evening was. There is just something about dining, for hours, with friends.
Spoleto is even more beautiful at night. We are thoroughly delighting in our return here. It is as if we never left.
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1 comments:
Ahhh, Spoleto. I recognize those photo ops!
That is so interesting about the ruins. It is so typical, in every culture, Aztec, Islamic, Roman, to build on top of the previous culture, or the previous rulers. It would be great to know what is buried beneath.
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