Trip to Bevagna: an hour from Rome in the country of shop masters
308 BC, the Latin writer Livio remembers the Battle of Mevania on this date, but the episode is questioned by historians; it is certain however that after 295 Mevania with other Umbrian cities allied with Rome. 774, Bevagna, goblined longobard in the sphere of the Spoleto ducat, becomes part of the state of the church, but in reality it continues to depend, like the whole dukot, from the kings king and then from the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. 1187, you have the first news of the free common Bevagna rectory of consuls. 1249, the people are authorized by the pope to freely choose his own podestà; this happens after the destruction of Bevagna – which embarked on the part of the Guelph, therefore for the church – by the Emperor Frederick II. 1371, after having passed several times from imperial domination to papal domination and vice versa, Bevagna is given in gift from Pope Gregory IX to Trinity VII, pontifical vicar: begins the lordship of the Trinci di Foligno which will last until 1439, when the village will be returned To the direct domain of the Holy See. In 1567, after a period of dependence on the ducat of Spoleto and the government of Perugia, Bevagna returned to the church, which remained until 1860, when it became part of the Kingdom of Italy.
The Middle Ages, now trivialized, is here again the art of craftsmanship and the creativity of shopmasters, once characterized by the slow rhythms in which our roots sink. Even today, throughout the city, six-string arches, windows, frames, terracotta friezes return to this distant era, suspended in the air. The nights on the alert, the insults of the sieges that have long tormented the walls, are now a ghost of the other drawn in the dense sky of clouds. But just listen to the sounds and the noises of the people ready to rebuild what has been destroyed.
The art of brickwork, the processing of hemp or parchment paper, the home-made tradition of frame-made canvases, revive through the Gaite Market. As subtle, humble and valued work seems to suggest this evocative journey into the past, which is not fake, it is not folklore, but the historical legacy of our Middle Ages and of ancient Mevania.
Remained out of the industrial development direction of the region, Bevagna has preserved almost intact its medieval urban layout, which largely respects the Roman city’s plan. This pure loneliness has made it a concrete symbol of the urban entity as a measure of man. Just go to Silvestri Square, sublime in its irregularity, to understand how harmony can arise from the apparent chaos of styles, stories, and times that mingle.
This is one of the wonderful squares of Italy. It is the square of sleeping memories, for the perennial agitation of powers that faces them with their symbols seems to be absorbed in the supreme synthesis of beauty. The expression of the communal hegemony is the palace of the Consuls (1270) with its elegant travertine and sandstone frame, rhythmed by a double order of Gothic mousetrap and a large loggia (since 1886 hosts the Torti theater decorated by Bruschi and Piervittori). To it is contrasted ecclesiastical power with three churches.
The San Michele (XII-XIIIth century) has a horizontal crowned travertine façade and houses a beautiful crucifix of the fifteenth century. San Silvestro is of the twelfth century and has an unfinished facade in travertine blocks at the bottom and in the Subasio stone in the upper part; The interior, of evocative simplicity, is divided into three naves from robust columns with Corinthian capitals. The fine end-of-the-century portal of St. Dominic (XIII-XIV century) adds grace to the dissymetric square which is filled with other styles such as the fictional nineteenth-century Gothic fountain and the Roman column at Corinthian cape that seems to be left there to do some scene. In fact Roman friezes and columns are seen somewhere everywhere because the houses are built over the remains of the 1st and 2nd century d. C. following the curvature of the theater that leaned on the slope of the hill and faced Via Flaminia.
The Imperial era is the side and back facade of the temple and the frigidarium of the spas formed by niches decorated with white and black mosaic tiles with a precious mosaic of the 2nd century AD. Inspired by the marine world. The walled city, full of towers and ramparts, is interrupted by medieval doors or newer openings that allow entry into the historic center. Inside, Bevagna shows the impression of a medieval town, where the artisan tradition of the shops opening on the narrow alleys is still alive. Admired by the eighteenth-century Palazzo Lepri, they are still asking to reveal the beautiful mystical body of this hamlet: that of Santa Maria in Laurinen, today devoted, has a beautiful portal with the relief of the Madonna of Milk; That of Santa Maria della Consolazione is of the ‘700; The church with the annexed monastery of Santa Margherita has interesting paintings, as is the church of Sant’Agostino, founded with the original convent in 1336, whose frescoes full of grace and luminosity date back to the 14th and 16th centuries. And again: the church and the monastery of Santa Maria del Monte; The church of San Vincenzo with Roman elements in the unfinished facade; The church of San Francesco with the paintings of Doni Doni and Ascensidonio Spacca; The church of San Filippo enriched with an elegant stucco decoration and frescoes attributed to Domenico Valeri. More than Bevagna, Corso G. Matteotti 70, tel. 0742 360031. The first nucleus of a larger project that will affect the whole Lepri palace is divided into three sections: archaeological (archeological, republican and imperial archaeological finds), documentary (medieval parchments) and pictorial (works from the Five to the Eighteenth Century From the numerous churches: among the authors, Dono Doni, Corrado Giaquinto da Molfetta, Joseph Esperlin, the cooked Andrea Camassei and Ascensidonio Spacca). With the same ticket you can also visit the Teatro Comunale and the building of the Roman baths. Procession of the Dead Christ, Sacred representation of ancient origin, Good Friday, and Rise of the Risen Christ on Easter Sunday. Medieval Spring, Preview of the Gaite Market, April. Art on Table, Itineraries and wine tastings of local products such as wine, oil and snails, end April – May. Gaite Market, from the penultimate Friday to the last Sunday of June, tel. 0742 361847, www. bevagna.it It is one of the most important tourist attractions in Umbria, which points to the historical fidelity of what has been presented to the public, such as the old trades and the vintage products market. The central moment of the event is the medieval market that takes place on the two conclusive days. Each Gaita sets up its market in the streets and squares under its jurisdiction.
Meeting places for all are taverns, where you can sample medieval dishes. Each Gaita then proposes its plate, with which it participates in the gourmet race. Finally, musicians and dancers animate the final medieval dinner. In Chartis Mevaniae, July, tel. 0742 368111: a beautiful initiative combining the ancient tradition of handmade china paper (from Gualchiera della Gaita San Giovanni) with works by contemporary artists. Within the figurative exhibition, a conference cycle is organized on the chosen theme, which must characterize all the works. August Bevanate, Artistic events and concerts, August. Among the crafts handed down from father to son, characteristic of the place is the processing of hemp. A time for the processing of the ropes was used for scrap hemp, while the best was used for the manufacture of “Bevy canvas”, appreciated throughout the Pontifical State. The cordon’s work, which remains in the names of streets as wide as Canapai, is disappearing due to the lack of apprentices. Today, the most popular product of visitors is the famous paper doll. The village is appreciated for truffle dishes, olive oil and olive oil, including the Sagrantino Docg, which has been cultivated forever in the territory of ancient Mevania, as attested by Giovenale and Plinio.