Perugia, Umbria

This morning after breakfast we decided to spend the day in Perugia which is located about 21 km from Assisi. At first we thought we would take the bus over since it is so close. We quickly found out that the bus runs only 4 times a day at odd hours so we opted for a taxi ride instead. In Perugia we went straight to Piazza Italia in the centre of town and took the Perugia City tour open air mini-bus, it’s a wonderful way to see the whole city from one end to the other. Though it is not an extended city and distances between two points are not that far, the city is built on a hill and again going from one area to the next means a lot of walking on very steep streets, up long staircase of 100 steeps or more and everything is on an incline. The open air mini-bus takes you everywhere, you have commentaries in 4 languages it is informative and fun all in one, without being exhausted in the hot summer sun.
The Council Chamber or Room of the Notaries, where city council meets in Perugia. The Coats of Arms on the walls show that the city supported the Holy Roman Emperor against the Pope in Rome.
The Palace of Notables in Perugia's in the Piazza del Duomo.



Perugia or Perusia as it was known by the Etruscan some 3000 years ago as always been an important city in Umbria because of its geographical position, access to fresh water from the mountains, hot mineral springs and being on major trade routes in a very fertile valley. It was also the last place where the Etruscan language was spoken and written until the final defeat of the supporters and friends of Mark Anthony and Cleopatra at the hands of Augustus, nephew of the late Julius Ceasar. The main city gate proclaims AUGUSTA PERUSIA, clearly indicating that the city fell into the hands of the imperial army and all supporters of Mark Anthony and most of the Etruscan nobles were killed in a final settling of scores. In later history closer to us, you have the continual battle between the people of Perugia and the army of the Pope. The people wanted to be independent but the Pope wanted to be their ruler for economic reasons. The Salt war of 1453 saw the defeat of the people when Pope Paul III Farnese conquered the city and imposed a salt tax. His tax was 6 cents a pound of salt instead of the 3 cents a pound people had been paying to Siena for white and clean salt, compared to the black dirty salt the Pope was selling. To this day the bread made in Perugia has no salt. The Pope also had an enormous fortress ‘’Paolina ‘’built on the highest point of Perugia, it was demolished by the people at the Liberation of the city by Garibaldi in 1860.
The Etruscan gate of Perugia with the inscription Augusta Perusia.
The deconsecrated Church of Saint Dominic, today the museum of archeology.


Perugia has the oldest university in Europe established in 1308. Beautiful museums and churches including the massive Duomo of San Lorenzo which has in a side chapel the wedding ring of the Virgin Mary.
This is our last day on the road and tomorrow we return to puppies and our home in Rome.