We continued our tour of the ducal palace of Urbino and came to a number of rooms dedicated to late medieval painting. Here we find large polyptychs from churches in and around Urbino. Sometimes the names of the painters are known, for instance in the case of Giovanni Antonio Bellinzoni…
Several car parks have been created around Urbino’s historical centre. One of these is the Parcheggio Mercatale. When we visited the town, it was not possible to park in the square itself, because it was filled with stands for the annual Festival of the Duke (Festa del Duca). The parking…
The church of San Francesco can be seen very well from the church of San Bernardino outside the centre of Urbino. From the latter church one has a good view of the apse and bell-tower of the building (image below). San Francesco is obviously dedicated to Saint Franciscus of Assisi…
Our visit to the church of San Domenico started with a lot of confusion. We were not so much interested in the church itself, but rather in an adjacent chapel where one could reportedly admire a fresco by the painter Ottaviano Nelli (ca. 1375-1444). Having previously enjoyed his work in…
The oratory of Saint Joseph was used by a lay fraternity whose main concern was caring for those who had been condemned to death. The first version of the building was erected between 1503 and 1515, and co-sponsored by Duke Guidobaldo da Montefeltro (1472-1508) and his wife Elisabetta Gonzaga (1471-1526).…
In the living room of our apartment in Fratte Rosa we found a number of brochures with information about the attractions in the vicinity. There was one brochure that immediately caught my attention because of a beautiful and colourful fresco of Saint John the Baptist on the cover. In a…
After my visit to the cathedral of Urbino, I am certain that I will receive a high seat in heaven. The reason? Well, I managed to reunite an unfortunate Italian with his wallet. This is what happened. While strolling through the nave of the immense building, I suddenly noticed an…
Our visit to Urbino started rather far outside the built-up area of the town. The church and convent of San Bernardino degli Zoccolanti, dedicated to the famous Franciscan preacher Saint Bernardinus of Siena (1380-1444), are situated on a hill to the east of the town. Although our travel guide spoke…