Orvieto

ten days ago, Nick had the entire day free, and so we decided to take another little trip. our previous foray outside of Rome took us south to brash and beautiful Naples; this time, we decided to journey north to the medieval hilltop city of Orvieto in Umbria. and now i understand why it took so long for Italy to become a unified country: each of these regions has such a unique culture. we had our first experience on the regional train and were lucky to get four seats together (you can't reserve seats in advance on these trains). we were somewhat disappointed to discover that there was no air conditioning and that the electrical outlets didn't seem to work, but what can you do. then when the train went through a tunnel, we realized that the car was completely dark with no lights -- clearly something was not right. the Italian ladies sitting across from us flagged down the train inspector, who must have flipped a switch or something, because suddenly there were lights! and air conditioning! (the electrical outlets still didn't work, which was unfortunate because Nick's phone was completely dead. i switched mine to low power mode, since i needed to use it to show the train inspector our tickets.)

what's in Orvieto, you may ask? oh, this Duomo, for one thing.

we glided past graffiti-splashed buildings and rolling farmlands and small stations that were little more than a ticket office and a platform, and careened through tunnels that made our ears pop, and finally arrived at Orvieto at 10:15 AM. as soon as we stepped off the train, we could smell the freshness in the air. it truly felt like autumn.

the train station does not, in fact, have a black bar across it. my phone screen came partially unglued
so unfortunately many of my photos from this day have an unintentional "vignette" appearance.

the train station sits far below the old town, and we opted to take the funicular up to the top. the whole system is set up quite conveniently: when you get off the funicular, you can use your same ticket to board a small shuttle bus which takes you up to the center of the old town. thank you, Orvieto!

baby's first funicular ride

we relied exclusively on our travel Bible (Rick Steves' Italy 2018) for this trip. i can't summarize the history of the city any better than Rick Steves does (on pg. 761): "Imagine the history: From 900 B.C. to 264 B.C., the town was Etruscan Velzna. After a two-year Roman siege, it was destroyed and the ruins left abandoned for six centuries. Rome fell in A.D. 476, and in the chaos of that power vacuum, with invaders from the north terrorizing the peninsula, people in the valley headed back into the hills in search of safety. They rebuilt over the old Etruscan foundations, and named the settlement Urbs Vetus, meaning "old town" in Latin. Over time, Urbs Vetus became Orvieto. Orvieto flourished as a Middle Ages regional power. During Orvieto's glory days -- from the 11th to the 13th centuries -- it was a city-state of about 30,000 people, like Perugia, Assisi and Siena, and an occasional home to the pope. Today it's again a small town, with only 5,000 people living in less than a square mile atop its hill, and only half of its 50 churches still active."

the bus pulled up to the Piazza del Duomo and we disembarked along the side of the road. as the bus pulled away, the Duomo came into full view. i think we stood slack-jawed for a full five minutes. the "stripes" come from alternating layers of white travertine and black basalt. the basilica itself was constructed in the fourteenth century, following a miracle which occurred here in the year 1263. a travelling priest called Peter of Prague was saying mass in the nearby town of Balseno. he had significant doubts about the doctrine of transubstantiation (which refers to the Eucharistic bread and wine turning into Jesus' true Body and Blood). as he elevated the Host at mass, it began to bleed, staining the corporal (the linen cloth) on the altar. presumably, his doubts were allayed, and the stained corporal was brought to Orvieto where Pope Urban IV instituted a new holy day, Corpus Domini. construction on the basilica began in 1290, and the miraculous cloth is displayed in the Chapel of the Corporal to the left of the main altar.

before we could explore the Duomo, however, we needed lunch. we set off down a series of winding medieval streets before stumbling onto the main road, Corso Cavour, and discovering the Caffe Montanucci. we picked up sandwiches and settled down on a bench outside the old town hall to eat. (eating in public places can be a bit tricky, and in Rome at least, it's forbidden to eat while sitting on or near a monument -- but we must not have been breaking any laws in Orvieto, as two police officers walked right past us without batting an eye).

there happened to be a market set up in the square selling all manner of chocolate and other desserts, so Nick got us all some chocolate on a stick. the girls got milk chocolate studded with chocolate candies, and the adults got dark chocolate with pistachios. truly delicious.

sufficiently fortified, we then headed back to the Piazza del Duomo, stopping in at the tourist office to get tickets for the next English language tour of the Etruscan caves below the city. we had about an hour until the tour departed, so we decided to visit the Duomo. any visit must include thorough inspection of the incredible facade. each of the four marble pillars at the base is carved with scenes from the Bible (the Creation; the Tree of Jesse; the Life of Christ; and the Last Judgment).

the basilica is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, as depicted in the golden mosaics above the marble pillars.

after buying our combo tickets (€4 for entrance to the Duomo itself, €5 for both the Duomo and its affiliated museums), we walked inside. the striped pillars give the illusion that the interior is larger and longer than it truly is. the church is now much emptier than it was originally; most of the sculptures and artwork have been removed to various other churches and museums in the area. we walked up to the Chapel of the Corporal on the left, but it's blocked off from the main church, with a separate entrance on the side.

near the chapel is a marble pieta, carved in 1579 by Ippolito Scalza. his sculpture is similar to Michelangelo's (carved from a single piece of marble), but so different; Mary and Jesus both look older and more haggard. some parts of the marble are carved so delicately that the light from the stained glass window shines through.

the apse is decorated in beautiful frescoes, reliefs, and the original stained glass windows from the 1300s. you could easily spend a minute per square foot, just taking in every detail of the stunning artwork.

the crowning jewel of the Duomo is the Chapel of San Brizio, which is covered in Luca Signorelli's famous frescoes (painted from 1499-1504). some parts of the chapel were also painted by Fra Angelico, fifty years previously. the frescoes literally paint a vivid picture of the end times: the deception of the anti-Christ, the end of the world, the resurrection of the bodies, and the Last Judgment (including scenes from Heaven and Hell).

the Sermon of the anti-Christ (standing on the pedestal, wearing a red robe); note the Devil whispering in his ear. on the far left is a self-portrait of Luca Signorelli, accompanied by Fra Angelico (who worked on the chapel 50 years previously)

the ceiling of the chapel

the Resurrection of the Bodies to the right; the Damned in Hell to the left (note all the green-skinned demons)

the window is decorated with scenes from the Last Judgment

Signorelli painted this moving Pieta shortly after his own son had died. the striking Deposition painted behind it looks just like a sculpture. 

at this point, we had to tear ourselves away and go join our group tour to visit the caves underneath the city. (i know, i know, rough life.) the guide spoke excellent English. she first led us down a beautiful path on the side of the hill to reach the entrance of the caves. looking out over the Umbrian countryside was like being inside of an oil painting. it really is this beautiful.

there are over twelve hundred caves beneath the city, which have served many purposes over the centuries, from Etruscan homes, to workrooms for making olive oil, to dovecotes, to bomb shelters during World War II.

olive press and grindstone

looking down the shaft of an Etruscan well...

...and up to the surface

the second cave had room after room of dovecotes, each originally separate with its own entrance

walking to the next cave, we had a beautiful view of the Abbey of Sts. Severus and Martyrius (which looks like a castle)

it's easy to lose sense of time here ... is it 2018 or 1218? (yes, that abbey was built in the thirteenth century.)

inside the last room, which was used as a bomb shelter during World War II

finally we emerged into the sunlight again, and spent a few minutes planning our next move in the Piazza del Duomo.

Cecilia is skeptical of the plan

just as we did in Naples, we opted to follow Rick Steves' self-guided walk through the city. without even leaving the piazza, we could see the first point of interest: the clock tower, which was built in the 1300s so that the men who built the cathedral could keep track of their time. a metal man atop the tower strikes the hour.

we walked down the Via del Duomo, a winding medieval street straight out of a fairytale. this street is lined with ceramics shops, wine bars, and specialty shops (such as Emilio's meat shop). sadly, he was closed for the afternoon, but we could smell the aroma of the meat and cheese wafting from under the door.

scope for the imagination in every side street...

all i want for Christmas

we took a little detour to the toy shop Il Mago di Oz (The Wizard of Oz). no photos were allowed inside, but the girls were entranced by this little shop stuffed to the brim with all manner of toys, snowglobes, puppets, wooden swords, and an abundance of Betty Boop paraphernalia. Greta said, "they just love Betty Boop!"

at the intersection of the Via del Duomo and Corso Cavour stands the Tower of the Moor (Torre del Moro), which used to belong to a noble family. Orvieto is divided into quarters, with this tower at the center. each Quartiere had its own symbol and apparently there was a friendly sense of rivalry between the sections.

we continued the route to the Palazzo del Popolo, which was built in the Middle Ages as a military fortress on top of an Etruscan temple. the girls were clamoring for gelato at this point, so we popped into a little cafe and got some refreshments.

Palazzo del Popolo

what happened next was pure serendipity. we had noticed a few posters around the piazza advertising a day of children's games, and we noticed some people setting up various tables and even an oversized chess game in the piazza. no one else was there yet though, so we weren't sure if they were open to the public yet, or if they were charging admission. finally, a few other people started walking through the piazza and interacting with the large games they had set up in the piazza (about the size of foosball tables, but with all different types of games). and some of the organizers came over to help demonstrate how each game worked. it was quite entertaining to watch how people behaved as they came across the whole set-up. some would enter the piazza and just cross straight through as if they didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. some would immediately smile and go over to a particular game without questioning if they were allowed to do so. and some were more like us -- observing for a while, and then joining in.

this crossbow game seemed especially apropos

since we were already inside the piazza as they were setting up, i still have no idea if they were charging admission to get in. it seems unlikely, especially since some people just walked straight through, but it also seems crazy to me that they would have this whole event free to the public. the entire piazza was covered with games, toys, and activities. as school let out for the afternoon, hordes of kids descended on the piazza and quickly segregated themselves by age and interest -- older kids did sack races and played tether ball, younger kids rode the trikes and played marble games, a few toddlers came through with their parents and played with the toy kitchen or the magnet fishpond. Nick walked on stilts and taught Greta how to use a pogo stick. Nick and i also played giant Jenga and tried our hand at a jousting game (you had to balance on a beam and try to knock your opponent off).

i ended up chatting with a woman who lives here in Orvieto with her two sons. she said how much she loves it and that Rome is "too hot and too loud". watching this delightful small-town festival, i had to concede she has a point!

i was so pleased to see this giant Guess Who? game

we must have spent almost two hours here. it was so refreshing to see kids and adults just play. eventually the school kids were called away and we had the piazza mostly to ourselves again. we thanked the organizers and, with great difficulty, convinced the girls to leave and continue on our walking tour.

there may or may not have been bribery involved

we walked back towards the piazza where we ate lunch, the Piazza della Repubblica, where the city hall and the Church of Sant'Andrea stand. also the current location of the amazing chocolate market!

this sky. i just can't get enough. 

we entered the Church of Sant'Andrea, which was built on top of an Etruscan temple (sensing a theme here?). the temple was likely the first building in ancient Orvieto, and you can still tour it if you wish. frescos from the 11th century still decorate the walls of the church. 

lighting a candle and saying a prayer, while light filters through the original alabaster window

we continued walking west across the city, falling more in love with it as we went. the late afternoon sun played over the sloping roof tiles as we looked out over a cityscape that hasn't changed much over the past five hundred years.

we reached the western-most edge of the town and stepped into the Church of San Giovenale, the oldest church in town. it was built in 1004 A.D., on the site of a previous sixth-century church. from the ramparts outside the church, you have the most incredible view over the surrounding countryside.

side door to San Giovenale

the oldest church in Orvieto

just pinch me

a group was praying the rosary, so we just stayed in the back of the church for a few minutes

the frescoes date from the 12th and 13th centuries

we stepped back outside and immediately heard the most incongruous sound -- a boombox playing "Endless Love". i peeked over the stone wall and saw, on the grassy terrace below, a sight worthy of Portlandia or SNL: a small troupe of performers doing a choreographed dance, with no apparent audience besides myself. a few other visitors meandered over, peered over the edge of the wall, and exchanged similarly bemused smiles with us. i desperately wanted to take a video, but my phone battery was at 7% so i settled for some photos. to get the full effect, click below to hear the song while imagining these costumed figures waltzing and leaping across the grass.

and here's to our endless love. (sorry not sorry.)

still laughing, we turned and began walking along the ramparts to circle back around towards the Duomo. Greta had fallen asleep by this point, and Nick had the strenuous task of pushing her up the steep hill to reach the high point of the city.

he can probably skip leg day tomorrow

just as we got to the top of the hill, i realized that one of Greta's flip flops was missing. a quick search of the ground immediately around us was unfruitful. so ... Nick began retracing our steps, while i stayed up at the top of the hill with the girls. Greta woke up a few minutes after this and was distraught that she couldn't remember where she lost her sandal. she kept saying, "Mommy, i'm trying to think so hard but i just don't know!" i reassured her that no one was mad at her. probably ten minutes later, Nick reappeared victorious. he did go all the way back up to the church without finding it, and then came back down a small side street and someone had picked up the sandal and set it up on a barrel near the side of the road.

get this man a beer

we walked past an amazing little pottery shop where the artist was molding clay near the front door. we watched him for a few minutes and admired his work. we especially liked the plaques with symbols representing the different professions. 

finally we made our way back over to the Museum of the Duomo (which is known by the hip nickname "MoDo"). there are actually several museums in this network, and we opted for the Palazzi Papali. the museum holds many of the sculptures and paintings that originally decorated the Duomo. we enjoyed being able to see them up close, and since there were only a few other visitors in the museum, we could discuss the art with Greta without bothering anyone else.

marble Madonna and Child, sculpted in 1300

this palace housing the museum used to be the papal residence. Greta seemed to feel right at home

the Nativity of Mary was one of Greta's favourite paintings "because everyone looks happy"
(although i caught the viewers with quite unimpressed expressions!)

one room is devoted to papal treasures. this palace was used by five different popes (Urban VI, Gregory X, Martin IV, Nicholas IV, and Boniface VIII) in the thirteenth century, and also for a short time by Pope Clement VII during the Sack of Rome.

some of Orvieto's art treasures are kept in this museum as well, including Luca Signorelli's Mary Magdalene (painted in 1504).

I'm so sad my picture is blurry!

this icon was painted in 1322 by Simone Martini.

Greta also liked this huge painting of the Assumption of Mary:

and Nick deduced that this wooden stand was used to display the music for choristers who sang during mass.

we came out of the museum through a hallway underneath the Duomo, which maintains the same basalt and travertine stripes.

by this point, we were all ready for dinner. we had set our sights on a little restaurant Rick Steves recommended called L'Oste del Re, but at 7:15 p.m., it still had not opened for dinner service. so we backtracked to the Piazza del Duomo and sat down at a little cafeteria overlooking the square. the food was mediocre and slightly overpriced, but the view could not be beat!

the girls devoured their hot dog pizza (yes, it had slices of hot dog on it), i had a glass of Orvieto wine, and we all enjoyed the fresh evening air.

at one point Cece got her hands on three different forks and insisted on using them all at once

as the moon rose over the Duomo, we started our walk to the funicular station. the little shuttle bus stops running at 6 p.m. on weekdays, but we enjoyed the last ten minutes of our time in the city.

we arrived at the train station an hour before our train was supposed to depart, so i thought it would be a perfect opportunity for me to charge my phone so it would be all ready to display our tickets when the inspector came to check them. well, there were no outlets at the station, but no problem, i figured i could charge them on the train. (i even had the plug adapter so i could use a regular outlet if they didn't have the USB charge ports like they had had on our train to Naples.)

our train arrived and we had a car entirely to ourselves! this was best for all the passengers aboard, as the girls could climb around and play without bothering anybody. i happily plugged in my phone and just hoped that it would charge fast enough before the inspector came by. on our previous train trips, they haven't even come around to check it until we have already been traveling for at least half an hour, so i figured we would be fine.

however, every time i checked my phone, it was still completely dead. we tried a few different outlets and came to the sad realization that either none of the outlets were working, or my adapter wasn't allowing the current to flow (even though it fit securely in the outlet). at this point, i was really kicking myself for not printing out our tickets beforehand. it had just seemed like too much trouble at the time to send Nick back over to the office to print them out. at the very least, i should have written down the ticket reference number. the knot in my stomach grew tighter as the minutes dragged on. i wondered if we should just get off the train at the next station and purchase tickets from that point on to Rome, but i wasn't sure how late the trains would run (our train wouldn't arrive in Rome until 11 p.m.). i imagined that when the inspector did ask to see our tickets, we would end up getting hit with a fine and possibly escorted off the train in the worst case scenario; best case scenario, the inspector would have mercy on our predicament once she saw that the phones weren't charging, but i wasn't holding out hope for that (i'm sure she hears all kinds of sob stories).

at this point, Greta needed to use the bathroom. i took her to the next car and saw a door that looked like it should have been a bathroom, but it wasn't labeled. the door was locked, but there wasn't a little red strip like they normally have to show that it is occupied. at that moment, the inspector came in from the other car. i asked her where the bathroom was, she pointed to the door and i explained the situation. after knocking loudly on the door without hearing any response, she unlocked it from the outside and let us in. she was very friendly throughout this whole encounter, which i thought would serve us well when it came time to have The Ticket Talk.

we had just gotten situated in the bathroom when the train pulled up to another station. you're not supposed to use the bathroom while the train is stopped, so we just waited in there for a while. and still the train hadn't left. at every other stop, the train had departed again within two minutes, and we were coming up on five minutes ... ten minutes ... i started to fear that they had asked Nick for the tickets while we were in the bathroom and were just waiting for us to come out so that they could escort us off the train.

finally, i decided just to use the bathroom anyway, and we went to rejoin Nick in the car. and the inspector was standing on the platform right outside our door! having no idea of my recent mental state, Nick asked how everything went in the bathroom. no mention of a run-in with the inspector. so i relaxed a little bit and realized that there was no use in worrying about it -- we'd just have to deal with it whenever she came by.

about five minutes later, the train finally departed, and the inspector came through our car. i just kept reading my book and suddenly realized that she had gone past us and into the next car, again without asking to see our ticket. as we got closer and closer to Termini station, i again began to dread the inevitable encounter, and even contemplated getting off at the station right before Termini and trying to find a bus home from there. but again, i wasn't sure what the public transportation options would be from that other station, so i decided we would just stay on the train.

and we did. and she never asked to see our tickets. i don't know if our conversation in the bathroom made her think that she had already seen our tickets (the inspectors come through every so often and check the tickets for people that have boarded the train since their last ticket check, so maybe she recognized my face when she came through the car and thought she already checked ours). or maybe they're just not as particular about it on a half-empty train at 11 o'clock at night. all i know is that we had a spring in our step as we left the train, and i will always print out my train tickets from now on!

this whole day was such a wonderful experience, and we can't help but feel that St. Raphael, the patron saint of travelers, had something to do with it. thank you, St. Raphael, for yet another spectacular trip!