Urbania

Town of Urbania

Liberty Square, 1-0722 313111

In the valley rich in oak river squeezes Urbania, the ancient Casteldurante of the Duchy of Urbino.

Francesco Maria II della Rovere, Duke next to the Montefeltro, he established the fact of his residence, attracted by the quiet magic of the place: here he died and with him ended the duchy. The current name of the town dates back to 1636, renamed in honor of Pope Urban VIII Barberini. First it was called Castel delle Ripe, when the Ghibellines destroyed Urbino in 1277, was then the Provencal Monsignor Guillaume During a rebuild in 1284 and became Casteldurante. This name was known throughout Europe for leceramiche in the sixteenth century, when along with Pesaro and Urbino experienced a flowering of the highest level fueled by “Raphaelism” and suggestions of the humanists of the ducal court. At the time were running over 40 and surveyed 150 gave maiolicari producing extraordinary pots and stained dishes rich in decoration. The Dukes Montefeltro-Della Rovere course privileged Castedurante as “place of delights” and built a special road which was used to reach it, from Urbino, in three hours of litter.

Among the major monuments the Barco Ducale, former hunting ground of the dukes, connected to the Ducal Palace by a mile of the river that the nobles went back in boat.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

Jan. great feast of the Epiphany, games, parades, entertainment;

Easter and Easter Monday “point and cul” old popular game with hard-boiled eggs;

April, “a flower in the city”, the traditional spring fairs, exhibitions of flowers, potted plants, cattle, agricultural vehicles;

July-August Summer evenings in Casteldurante, music, theater and exhibitions throughout the summer, the summer of Scaffe, ethnic music;

July to September exhibitions at Palazzo Ducale, drawings and engravings, ceramics duratine, globes of Gerardus Mercator;

July celebration of the Patron Saint Christopher and traditional blessing of the cars;

Aug. great opera concert of August;

October national poetry prize “Metauro”, an exhibition of contemporary poets, national review of polyphonic choirs, ancient fair of St. Luke and women, shows mycological and collecting;

Christmas events in December, Santa Claus goes down from the bell tower.