10 curiosities about Umbria: from the highest artificial waterfall in the world to the “crazy license”

THE’Umbria It is a region of central Italy also known as “Green heart of Italy“As it has a well -known natural soul characterized by woods, streams and intense blooms that surround the small villages perched on the green slopes. Umbria with a population of 853 068 inhabitants and an area of 8 463.97 km², It is the only region throughout the Central-South not to appear on none of the seas surrounding the peninsula. In fact, stands at the turn of the central stretch of the chain Apenninewhich is why it is characterized by a hilly and mountainous territory interspersed with plateau And large valleys.

1. Because it’s called Umbria

Like many other Italian regions, Umbria owes its name to one of the ancient populations who inhabited Italy before the long Romanization process of the peninsula. The Umbrianin fact, were a people of Indo -European origin allocated in the territories between thehigh and medium valley of the Tiberthe northern part of the current Brands and the southern one ofEmilia-Romagna.
According to the historians of the classical age, the Umbrians (for the Latins) or the Ombrikoi (for the Greeks) were among the oldest populations of the Italian peninsula, present by at least 1300 years before the birth of Christ. According to the most recent hypotheses, the Umbrian ethnonym could derive from the adjective of Indo -European origin omroused to express the concepts of hardness, solidity And reliability.

2. The numbers of the Region

Umbria is a small region ofCentral Italy And it is the only one in the country not to confine with the sea or with a foreign state.
With a population of 853 068 inhabitants It is one of the least populated Italian regions (after Valle d’Aosta, Molise and Basilicata). Having an area of 8 463.97 km² it appears to have a rather low density, equal to 101 inhabitants per km²almost half of the national average. With his 92 Municipalitiesdivided into Two provinces of Perugia and TerniUmbria is the region with ordinary statute with less common, exceeded only by the Aosta Valley, which counts 74.

3. The Festa dei Ceri

Every May 15, a Gubbio The Festa dei Ceri In honor of Sant’Ubaldo, the patron saint of the city. The anniversary is extremely ancient, so much so that it is considered one of the oldest in Italy: takes place continuously since the Middle Ages, in particular from XII century.
The main event is represented by race of the three candles: massive wooden structures formed by Two octagonal prisms placed on each other and crossed by a internal axiswhich comes out above and below with two “Timicchioni” stretcherdesigned for the shoulder transport. The upper pivot allows, however, to fix the statue of Sant’Ubaldo, San Giorgio or Sant’Antonio Abate.
The candles are transported by Ceraioli, strictly Eugubini (inhabitants of the city of Gubbio), who pass on this role according to felt family traditions, in a frenetic race through the narrow medieval streets of the city, from the alzatella to the basilica on top of the mountain. In the journey, the candles oscillately oscillate and bend almost to touch walls and windows of the narrow alleys. Only the strength, coordination and experience of the ceraioli, allows you to cross without accidents 4.3 km of the route.

4. In Gubbio you can take the “crazy license”

We remain in Gubbio, the medieval Umbrian village with a historically extravagant and dreamer soul, for a very particular curiosity: in the city it is possible to obtain the “Crazy driving license“. We are not talking about a way of saying or an advertising stunt, but of a real document obtainable if you perform a special ritual with lots of witnesses. To be able to have a license, in fact, a foreigner will have to perform Three laps of running Around the Bargello fountainalso known as “Fontana dei Matti”, in the presence of an authentic eugubino. The witness will then have to baptize the visitor with the water of the fountain and take charge of the official request for the driving license from Matto at theMay Eugubino Association. In this way he will be able to obtain the official recognition of the Eugubin community, although it is worth remembering that, the same community, with the term crazy does not necessarily indicate a condition of madness, but it is above all an allusion to free spirits, dreamers and idealists.

5. The spectacular flowering of the Piani di Castelluccio

Surrounded by Mountains Sibillini of the Umbrian-Marchigian Apennines, at 1 350 m altitude extends the suggestive plateau of the Piani di Castelluccio. The plateau, in reality composed of three floors: the Pian big and the Pian Small (in the province of Perugia) and the Pian Lost (in the province of Macerata), is known throughout Europe for the spectacular flowering of daisies, cornflowers, gentians, poppies and lentils, which between May and July dyes the landscape in a succession of spring colors. Needless to say, the show attracts consisting of visitors every year, who, in addition to the wonderful scenario, can enjoy traditional specialties and practice outdoor excursions on foot, by bike or horse and even fly over the bird’s flight plans with Deltaplano and paragliding.

6. The highest artificial waterfall in the world

Near Marble (in the province of Terni) is the highest artificial waterfall in the world: the famous Marble waterfall. The waterfall originates at the point of confluence between the river Veline and the river Black (which welcomes the waters of the first) and was built in a first plant by the ancient Romans in 271 BC, which needed to flow the water from the Rieti plain for reclamation works. The total height of the marble waterfall is of 165 mmeasured in Three different jumps that the controlled flow water (i.e. released only in some time of the day) performs downwards.

7. Because it is said that Foligno is the center of the world

The Foundation of Foligno (in the province of Perugia) by the ancient Umbrians, dates back to the pre-Roman period. In the following centuries this center has turned into an important hub for the trade and for i pilgrimages between North and Southern Italy. The important role and the geographical position made the title of “center of the world“: The city is in fact in the heart of Italy, which in turn is located in the center of the Mediterranean, considered the center of the world known by classical scholars. In the 19th century the position of the city center has even been calculated and identified in the” trivio “, that is, a point in the historic center in which they converge the thistle and the deanthe orthogonal streets of the urban plant of the city built by the Romans.

8. The tradition of chocolate

Umbria is not only the green heart of Italy, it is also a land traditionally associated with the production of the greedy vices: the chocolate. There Peruginacurrently owned by the Nestlé groupwas born in Perugia at the beginning of the twentieth century as artisan chocolate laboratory enjoying growing success over time. Just here, every year theEurochocolatean international festival that of chocolate. The hard event nine days And it takes place in the central areas of the city, where hundreds of thousands of greedy, passionate or simple curious converge.

9. In Umbria there are three islands

Despite not overlooking any of the internal seas of the Mediterranean, Umbria comprehends three different islands! Obviously they are found in what is the largest lake in the region: the Lake Trasimeno. Lake Trasimeno is a lake of tectonic originthat is, it originated when fresh water filled a basin that formed due to the movements of the earth’s crust. For this reason it has an absolutely modest depth: about 6 meters at the lowest point. Its extension, however, is far from modest, as with its surface of 128 square kilometers is the Fourth largest lake in Italy and the largest in central-southern Italy. There are three islands inside: thePolvese Island (the largest), themajor island (the only being inhabited in a stable way) and theminor islandhabitat of numerous species of aquatic birds.

10. The bridge of the towers

Crossing the wonderful city of art of Spoletolocated in the southern area of ​​the Valley Umbrian (Province of Perugia), you could come across a spectacular and dizzying bridge: the Ponte delle Torrione of the symbols of the Municipality.
It seems that originally this imposing Arco bridge It was a Roman aqueduct then adapted to the end of the fourteenth century as a connection between the city center and Monteluco.
The precise dating remains uncertain, but certain are the impressive measures: the bridge of the towers is long 230 meters and it is supported, to beyond 80 metersfrom 9 pillars which at the base reach a width of 10 meters!