Urbinate

<< Marche

The Urbinate is the territory around the city of Urbino, in the Province of Pesaro and Urbino. This area is occupied by hills and mountains with various small beautiful towns. The main attractions of this region are in Urbino, which houses several artistic and architectural masterpieces.

Urbino

Urbino is a town located among the hills of northern Marche, known for its rich artistic heritage. The city emerged during the Late Middle Ages under the rule of the House of Montefeltro. During the Renaissance, Urbino was a duchy and one of the main artistic centers in Italy, attracting many artists and architects. Raphael, one of the greatest Renaissance artists, was born here in 1483. The importance of Urbino slowly declined, and the city was later ruled by the Papal States before becoming part of Italy. The old town of Urbino has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the small city attracts many tourists thanks to its artistic and architectural masterpieces.

✪ Ducal Palace of Urbino

The Ducal Palace (Palazzo Ducale) is the historic residence of the Dukes of Urbino, located in the center of the town. Built during the 15th century, the palace is a great example of Renaissance architecture. Inside the palace is the Studiolo, a small room featuring many 15th-century intarsia works. The palace also hosts the National Gallery of Marche (Galleria Nazionale delle Marche), a rich art museum with a large collection of Renaissance paintings by artists such as Raphael, Piero della Francesca, and Titian. Next to the palace is the Obelisk of Urbino (Obelisco di Urbino), an Egyptian obelisk dating from the 6th century BCE.

Urbino Cathedral

Also known as: Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta)

The Urbino Cathedral (Duomo di Urbino) is the main church of the town, located near the Ducal Palace. The current building was erected in the 15th century over a previous church and was later restored in Neoclassical style. The cathedral has a decorated facade, and it hosts various Neoclassical sculptures and other artworks. Adjacent to the church is the Albani Diocesan Museum (Museo Diocesano Albani), a collection of historic religious artworks.

Oratory of San Giovanni Battista

The Oratory of San Giovanni Battista is a small religious building in Urbino. Built during the 14th century in Gothic style, it houses a large series of elaborate frescoes painted by Lorenzo and Jacopo Salimbeni and completed in 1416.

Oratory of San Giuseppe

The Oratory of San Giuseppe is a religious site in Urbino built in the early 16th century and restored in the 18th century. The building houses a rich series of Baroque frescoes and decorations.

Birthplace of Raphael

Also known as: Casa Santi

The Birthplace of Raphael (Casa Natale di Raffaello) is the house where Renaissance artist Raphael was born in 1483. The building now serves as a museum, hosting various artworks. Inside the house is a fresco painted by Raphael in 1498, one of his earliest works.

Walls of Urbino

Urbino has been surrounded by defensive walls since ancient times. Most of the current walls date from the Late Middle Ages, and are still well preserved, with various city gates and ramparts. Part of the fortifications of Urbino is the Albornoz Fortress (Fortezza Albornoz), a fort erected during the 14th century.

Urbania

Urbania is a small town among the hills west of Urbino. It is known for its beautiful old town and for the production of ceramics and maiolica. Originally called Casteldurante, it changed its name to the current one in 1636 in honor of Pope Urban VIII.

Ducal Palace of Urbania

The Ducal Palace (Palazzo Ducale) is a 15th-century palace in Urbania. The building houses a museum of art and local history featuring various drawings, artworks and ceramics, as well as two 16th-century globes made by Gerardus Mercator.