ActivityPhoto Wikimedia CommonsRocca Paolina
Italy
Explore the Rocca Paolina, an imposing fortress built by Pope Paul III on the houses of the Baglioni family to punish them for a rebellion: you will discover an entire medieval district englobed in the castle, and even an ancient Etruscan gate, Porta Marzia! Here, in an incredible journey back in time, you will admire the Etruscan Perugia and its mighty walls and gates, that still bears the ancient Roman name of the city: Augusta Perusia!
Contents
8 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Orientation
Welcome to the heart of Pe-roo-ja, standing at the threshold of one of the most unusual and atmospheric historical sites in Italy: the Rocca Paolina. Unlike many fortresses that loom high above a city, the primary power of the…
Listen in the app2The Entrance and Modern Escalators
Most visitors today enter the Rocca Paolina not as soldiers, but via a series of modern escalators that glide through the ancient foundations. This juxtaposition of twenty-first-century technology and sixteenth-century masonry is…
Listen in the app3Via Bagliona: The Buried Street
We now stand on Vee-ah Ba-lee-o-nah, perhaps the most haunting part of the Rocca Paolina. This was once a bustling medieval thoroughfare, named after the powerful clan that ruled this quarter of the city. …
Listen in the app4The Papal Cannon Room
As we move into the larger chambers, we arrive at the Papal Cannon Room. This space is a stark reminder of the Rocca’s original purpose. …
Listen in the app5The Baglioni Family Towers
In this section of the fortress, we can see the remnants of the medieval towers that once defined the skyline of this district. Before the Pope’s arrival, Pe-roo-ja, like many Italian cities, was a forest of private towers built…
Listen in the app6Porta Marzia: The Rescued Etruscan Gate
We now approach one of the most remarkable features of the entire complex: Por-tah Mar-tzee-ah. This is an original Etruscan gateway dating back to the third century BC. …
Listen in the app7The Exterior Bastions and the Demolition
Finally, we emerge to the exterior to view what remains of the massive bastions that once dominated the southern slope of Pe-roo-ja. Today, much of the upper part of the fortress is gone, replaced by the elegant…
Listen in the app8Closing
Our journey through the Rocca Paolina comes to an end, but the impressions of this 'city within a city' likely linger. We have walked through streets that were once filled with sunlight, now forever encased in papal brick. …
Listen in the app
What is Rocca Paolina?
Rocca Paolina is a place in Italy with 8 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | Italy |
|---|---|
| Type | Activity |
| Story sections | 8 |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 43.1088, 12.3879 |
| Last updated |
