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Collazzone
is a pleasant Umbrian Town sitted at the top of a hill at a
height of 469m above sea level, halfway between Perugia and Todi,
overlooking the central part of the Tiber Valley. |
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COLLAZZONE
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COLLEPEPE Collepepe is the most populated town of Commune, with around 2 thousand people; crossed by higway E45, is easy attainable also from Foligno and Spoleto, running along the Puglia street, which join Collepepe with Bastardo. In 1306, it was razed to the ground by the Guelphs of Todi with help from Perugia and Spoleto. In 1544 local farmers obtained a licence to hold a market every Wenesday, in open competition with Marsciano who had a market on the same day, but extending the Collazzone mrket, held on Tuesday. It is said that the name Collepepe comes from "Colle Priapi", where Priapo was a venerated numen in the area, but as popular tradition would have it, "Colle Pepis" comes from the pepper tree, imported from the East at the time of the crusades. To rediscover the past you should visit " the Prisons", remains of an old Roman staging post, and St Pancras Abbey: occupied since the XI century by a Cluniac monastic community, but passed over to Capuchins in 1530 AD; the portal, in Romanesque style, stands out in the facade made in white and pink stones. Collepepe is today the most important industrial and productive area, also thanks to the closeness with the highway E45.
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PIEDICOLLE Piedicolle is attainable in just 10 minutes by car from highway E45 (exit Marsciano) and from Collazzone, running along the road which join Collazzone with Pantalla, and turning right after 5 km.). It seems that the name Piedicolle came from the "gens romana", who were called Pedia. The Medioeval castle was destroyed in 1437 by Francesco Piccinino; after a lenghty reconstruction the walls were again destroyed in 1516 by the troops of Camillo Orsini, the Pope's captain. Rebuilding started again in 1544 with Mariotto of Marsciano. The Church of St Giacomo and the Chapel of Madonna dell'Acquasanta, containing XV-XVI century frescoes bear witness to the historic significance of the area. It is said that the devotion for Madonna dell'Acquasanta is due to the many miracles, depicted in the Church's frescoes, placed along the road which join Collepepe with Pantalla.
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CASALALTA Casalalta is attainable running along the road of Puglia, from Collepepe and turing after around 2 km., and continuing on the provincial road. Numerous archaeological remains witness to Roman occupation; the castle in which many took refuge was attacked and destroyed many times from the XIII century onwards. Further damage was caused by an earthquake in 1587. Inside the church of St Maria Assunta, built in 1421, frescoes have been well preserved. The amazing organ was made in 1582 by the Martinelli brothers of Umbertide. Popular tradition said that the name Casalalta back to the Latin "domus alta", however legends refer the name to the workship of Alteo, son of Hercules. Every year you there's the religious procession in occasion of the Festival of St Liberata (8th August and 1st Sunday in September), that reach the little church dedicated to the Our Lady
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CANALICCHIO The old castle of Canalicchio, today fully restructured, is attainable from casalalta running along the provincial road for 6 km, crossing a mediterranean wood. The castle lies above the Gorgone ravine, 425 m above the sea elel; it was strategic in controlling roads lower down which led to Todi. The present structure, renamed in 1236 after the reconstruction of its walls, is an amalgamations of various fortresses. In the second half of the XVIII century Canalicchio was decimated by a severe pleague and in 1827 came under the jurisdiction of Collazzone. In the historical centre there is the parish church (1750), the Church of St Philip and James, and not far from the towm the abbey chapel of . It seems that the name Canalicchio derives from "certain poor people called Canalicole" or from the name of Hercules dog and his page Licha. Every year, on the 1st of May, is celebrated a torch-light procession dedicated to St Fortunato, as an agricoltural propitiatory event.
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GAGLIETOLE Gaglietole is attainable from the road of Puglia, turnign right (from Collepepe to Foligno) and continuing for 4 km. There are a lot of legends surrounding the origins of Gaglietole, some attribuing it to the Gauls. Many Roman remains have been found such as coins, fragments of vases and statues; however today it appears as a meioeval village. In 1348 it was attacked and plundered along with eleven other castles by the troops of Francesco Piccinino, in the battle against Francesco Sforza, a gonfalonier of the Church. The parish church of St Cristoforo, inside the city walls, and restored in 1600 AD according to regulations estabilished by the Cuoncil of Trent, contains al altar-piece of artistic note, also above the main altar a painting of jesus at the Last Supper underneath the statues od St Christopher and St Sebastian. Outside the walls, there is the Church of St Mary, containing an image, thought to be miraculous, of the Vergin Mary.
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ASSIGNANO The village Assignano is attainable running along the road which join Collazzone with Pantalla, and turning left after 5 km., and continuing on a local road (2 km). The name of Assignano probably derives from "Gens Asinia": there is an ancient tradition, confirmed in documents which date back to the XVI century of terracotta and stone work. There is a fresco of Jesus Crucified on the entrance gate. The St Vittorina Parish church, inside the castle is built on the ruins of original chapel. In there is a venerated canvas in oils, representing the Madonna, probably a copy of a XV century relic.
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Bibliography: |
G. Comez e F.
Orsini - Collazzone - Venticinque secoli di storia - edito dal Comune di
Collazzone, 1997 Collazzone - Arte e Natura in Umbria - Comune di Collazzone, 1998 Collazzone - Catalogo delle Opere d'Arte - Editore Ediart - Todi - 1999 Itinerari Turistici Media Valle del Tevere - New Euroform |
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Comune di Collazzone |
