DESCRIPTION

One of the most interesting Urbania’s features concerns its name, indeed it changed name several times throughout its history. In the Middle Ages it was called “Castel della Ripe” and it stood on a hill. In 1277 it was destroyed by Ghibellines of Urbino and it was rebuilt in the valley. It was suitably fortified and protected by Metauro River. It was called “Castel Durante” to honor Guglielmo Durante, i.e. the papal legate who took care of its reconstruction. In 1636, when the last Duke died, Castel Durante (together with the entire Urbino Dukedom) was annexed to the Papal States and it became “Urbania” to honor the Pope Urbano VIII, who turned the town into City and Diocese.

MONUMENTS - ARTWORKS - TOWNS AND VILLAGES

DUCAL PALACE – CIVIC MUSEUM: In the Thirteenth century it was already the residence of Brancaleoni family. It was expanded and embellished by architects Francesco di Giorgio Martini and Girolamo Genga under request of Federico da Montefeltro (Duke of Urbino). Nowadays it houses the Civic Museum and the Public Library with its wide archive of manuscripts and incunabula. It is possible to admire numerous works of the museum thanks to a suggestive route through the loggia, two cylindrical towers, helical ramp and large rooms. Among the works, drawings, graphic engravings, paintings of 16^th and 17^th centuries, a rich collection of local ceramics and terracotta emerge. Besides, the Celestial Globe and the Terrestrial Globe by Gerardo Mercatore (famous Flemish cartographer and astronomer) are very interesting and valuable. The Museum of Agricultural History is placed in the palace cellars, and it shows instruments of wine and grain cycle.

“BARCO DUCALE”: It is less than one kilometer from old town center. Nowadays it is possible to reach it following the bike path from the city center, while in the past knights and ladies of the court used to reach it by a boat that went through a section of Metauro river. Inside this park there was a small Franciscan monastery, which was expanded under the request of Francesco Maria II della Rovere, last duke who actually loved to live and hunt here. In the second half of 18^th century a church was built to enrich the architectonical complex, which is clearly visible on the front side. Outdoor renovation works were completed, while currently indoor renovation works are proceeding.

DEAD CHURCH: It is characterized by a gothic portal and inside it preserves the Cemetery of the Mummies, which is an exhibition of bodies that are dried and stored due to a natural mold developed in the ground. Those bodies were found after the Napoleonic edict, which imposed the creation of cemeteries in extra-urban places for hygiene reasons. They are bodies of poor people, whose burial was a matter of the so-called “Compagnia della buona Morte”.

DIOCESAN MUSEUM: It is located in the rooms of the former Bishops Palace, close to St. Cristoforo Cathedral. It shows sacred vestments, archeological finds, silverware, sacred paintings and a ceramic collection that ranges from the origin of this tradition to the 20^th century, including the prosperous Renaissance period.

BRAMANTE THEATRE: It was opened in 1864, a few years after the Unification of Italy and it was built on the ruins of an old fortress of the 14^th century under the request of rich Durantine families. It is dedicated to the famous compatriot architect Donato Bramante. The theatre is a very important monument, since it was finely decorated,  it has three rows of boxes and it can host 350 people. It was closed for several years for renovation, but nowadays it is active again and it is characterized by rich theatrical season.

OLD CASTELDURANTE AND CERAMIC ART: The production of ceramics in Urbania has very old origins, indeed during the Renaissance it was already famous all over Italy and there were many Durantine masters who left their town to spread this glorious art. If you walk through the main street of Urbania you will see many artistic workshops with colorful vases and plates.

In 1994 the AICC (Associazione Italiana delle Città Ceramiche) recognized Urbania “Area of production of artistic and traditional pottery”. In fact “AICC” is a club called “Friends of Ceramic” and it was found in this town to disseminate and preserve this noble art, transmitting passion and skills of potters.

NATURE AND LANDSCAPE

Urbania is famous in the hinterland because of a wide range of services, including recreation, spare time and sport. A music school with many students that was created some years ago is located in a room on the ground floor of “Barco Ducale”. The green area close to the building where in the past there was the garden and hunting zone of Duke Francesco, nowadays house main facilities: indoor swimming pool (where throughout the year there are courses both for adults and children), tennis courts and a large park with attractions for children and a simple pool hall. In the town there are many possibilities: sports center with several football fields, gyms with courses of volleyball, basketball, karate, etc.