Urbino is a walled city in the Marche region in Italy, south-west of Pesaro, a World Heritage Site notable for a remarkable historical legacy of independent Renaissance culture, especially under the patronage of Federico da Montefeltro, duke of Urbino from 1444 to 1482. The town, nestled on a high sloping hillside, retains much of its picturesque medieval aspect, only slightly marred by the large car parks below the town. It hosts the University of Urbino, founded in 1506, and is the seat of the Archbishop of Urbino (see below). Its best-known architectural piece is the Palazzo Ducale.
Urbino’s clay supports several industrial brickwork manufacturers A cluster of earthenware manufactories (botteghe) make tin-glazed pottery known as maiolica. These items are exported throughout Italy and the world.
One of the main attractions of Urbino is the Palazzo Ducale, begun in the second half of the 15th century by Federico II da Montefeltro. It houses the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche, one of the most important collections of Renaissance paintings in the world. Other interesting buildngs include several large palaces, the Albornoz Fortress (known locally as La Fortezza), and the painter Raffaelle’s house and monument.
Located within the city walls is a large cathedral (Duomo) church constructed 1021 over a 6th century religious edifice. Completed in 1604, the Duomo had a simple plan with a nave and two aisles. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1789 and reconstructed thereafter once more. Outside the city is the Church of San Bernardino, housing the tombs of the Dukes of Urbino.
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