Bevagna

Welcome to Bevagna, a town that defies the typical Umbrian expectation of a hilltop fortress. Nestled in the heart of central Italy, Bevagna is a 'classic medieval Italian town' that distinguishes itself by its flat topography. …

We begin our exploration at the Piazza Filippo Silvestri, arguably one of the most monumental and harmonious town squares in all of Umbria. This piazza serves as the central hub of Bevagna, tying the town together and serving as…

Walking just a few blocks from the main piazza, we encounter the remarkable remains of the ancient Roman theater. Although much of the original stone structure was reused for later medieval construction, the semi-circular shape…

As we continue our stroll, we find ourselves on the main street of Bevagna, which historically formed a segment of the via Flaminia. This 300-kilometer-long road was one of the most important thoroughfares of the Roman Empire,…

We now make our way to Piazza San Francesco, home to the church built at the end of the 13th century on what is believed to be the site of an earlier Roman temple. This square marks the highest point in this otherwise flat city,…

To truly understand Bevagna’s defensive history, one must visit the Porta Foligno and the surrounding sections of the medieval wall. Here, you can see how the 1700 meters of medieval wall were often built directly on top of…

A short journey outside the town walls brings us to the legendary site of Pian d'Arca, the location of Saint Francis's Sermon to the Birds. This tranquil shrine was erected in 1926 by the agronomist Angelo Pretoto as an…

As our tour of Bevagna concludes, I hope you have felt the unique pulse of this 'quiet, authentic, and beautiful' Umbrian town. From the monumental Piazza Filippo Silvestri to the subterranean echoes of the Roman theater and the…