Avigliano Umbro (Tr)
History
Archaeological finds in the area attest to the presence of civilizations since the Neolithic period.
During Roman times, it was an important road junction along the Via Amerina, and during the Gothic Wars, it remained in the hands of the Roman-Byzantines, central in the exchanges along the Byzantine Corridor.
Subsequently, it was contested between the municipalities of Baschi and Todi, and over time, it was plundered and devastated by the internal struggles of the Guelph and Ghibelline factions.
Address: Avigliano Umbro, 05020 Avigliano Umbro TR
Phone: 0744 933521
Culture
Traces of the medieval urban fabric remain in the walls, the entrance gate, and the Clock Tower, a large cylindrical-based tower located inside the Municipal Garden, above which stands the public clock.
Within the town, the Church of the Holy Trinity deserves attention, along with religious buildings such as the Church of Santa Vittorina, the Church of Sant’Egidio, and the Church of Sant’Angelo. Meanwhile, in its hamlets, some castles and fortresses are worth a visit.
Just outside Avigliano Umbro, you’ll find some interesting places
Santa Restituta, Sismano, Toscolano, Dunarobba
The castle of Santa Restituta, located not far from Avigliano Umbro, is a medieval village surrounded by ancient chestnut woods, hornbeams, and maple trees.
The absence of a defensive wall is compensated by the facades of the houses that provide protection; a long staircase divides the village in two and ends with the Church of Santa Maria Novella, which houses some 15th-century frescoes and a statue of the Madonna del Pero.
Nearby is an important archaeological area, the Grotta Bella, a karst cavity of enormous archaeological and paleontological value located on the slopes of Mount Aiola. Numerous statuettes from the protohistoric and Roman periods have been found there.
The castle of Toscolano, next to which stands the Chapel of the Maestà di Toscolano, contains frescoes attributed to the Renaissance painter Pier Matteo d’Amelia.
The castle of Sismano is an imposing rectangular-shaped fortress from the 11th century; spread over five floors, it widens into two semicircular towers positioned at the outer corners of the building. The complex, situated atop a fortified embankment, looms over the surrounding territory. The privately owned castle is now part of a complex of ancient farmhouses and land dedicated to the cultivation of extra virgin olive oil
Dunarobba, with its imposing quadrangular fortress with cylindrical towers, privately owned, maintains the charm of the ancient medieval village intact. Nearby lies the Fossil Forest of Dunarobba, an impressive prehistoric natural park formed approximately one and a half million years ago and consisting of about fifty trunks of gigantic conifers. The Fossil Forest came to light in the late 1970s, and the Center for Plant Paleontology, built in the late 1990s, reconstructs the geological, climatic, and faunal characteristics of this area through artifacts, explanatory panels, and scale models.
Nature
Avigliano Umbro and Santa Restituta serve as starting points (or destinations) for many interesting nature trails that connect various villages through paths winding through forests and pristine landscapes.
Almost a symbol of these places is the Acerone of Santa Restituta, a monumental maple tree over two hundred years old, which has survived the civil cutting and stands proudly as a naturalistic pride of the Amerini Trails. It is reached via a small path branching off from the 746 – Alta Via dei Monti Amerini.
To truly know and appreciate the nature of Amerina in its details, the area is traversed by various trails that, combining with each other, offer ever-changing views:
Path 723 Collicello – Santa Restituta;
Path 730 Macchie – Santa Restituta;
Path 744 Santa Restituta – Melezzole;
Path 745 Santa Restituta – Montecchio.
Santa Restituta, a hamlet of Avigliano Umbro, is part of the circuit of the Cammino dei Borghi Silenti and connects Tenaglie to Melezzole.
