Urbino on a rainy day

Ducal Palace Urbino.




Today, Saturday is a rainy day and this morning with the beach at Pesaro deserted and a light rain falling we thought what can we do today. Urbino is only 26 Km from Pesaro and the whole city is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. So we took the regional bus and off we went to visit Urbino this most famous of Renaissance city. The story of Urbino is that of Federico da Montefeltro and his wife Battista Sforza who were the no.1 Renaissance couple. Urbino is also the birthplace of Rafael, the much love painter of the Renaissance. The city is on a hill top and its grandiose Ducal Castle-Palace with the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary and Santo Crestimento dominates the surrounding area. When the line of the Montefeltro dies out another famous family Della Rovere take over in governing the Marche Region. The Della Rovere family have their famous Pope Julius II, initiator of the building of the new Basilica of St-Peter in Rome. Under other Popes like Clement XI the city will be protected and its art collection, enhanced. The Palace is reached by crossing under the main triomphal gate of the city and then up a steep ceremonial street, Urbino is much like San Francisco, all steep climbs, some streets are narrow and very steep, the pavement to prevent slipping has a design of raised bricks to stop the foot and stop the walker from slipping. It is an impressive city, built to showcase the power and the magnificence of Federico da Montefeltro. Who surrounded himself with scientists and artists, nothing but the best, making of Urbino a renowed city in Europe.

Federico da Montefeltro Duke of Urbino and wife Battista Sforza.

The rooms of his palace use to be decorated with large frescoes to the glory of his family and himself, presenting scenes of his life. Only one room now has these magnificent colorful frescoes. This type of decoration was very much the style of the early Italian Renaissance, rich and powerful people wanted to impress anyone visiting them and on the walls you would have their life story. The frescoes are vibrant in color and a great deal of attention is paid to detail, artists also presented their patrons dressed in magnificent clothing, the ladies in sumptuous jewels, life was a parade.
Another room that attracted my eye was the study of Federico, all made of rare woods, different essence, the walls are trompe oeil, they appear to show bookshelves and cabinet doors with books or musical instruments inside, all of it is marquetterie,
a small intimate beautiful room to use for reading and working, the upper part of the walls lined with paintings of great men, poets, musicians, philosophers and popes.
Work Studio of Duke Federico.

Urbino a city dedicated to one man who had vision and wished to leave a legacy of his time, his family and dynasty.