Bevagna

Bevagna (Latin: Mevania ) is an existing since ancient town in Umbria.

Geography

Bevagna is situated in the Umbrian province of Perugia, in the Umbria valley on the river Topino. It is situated 150 km north of Rome, 37 km south-east of Perugia, 10 km west of Foligno. The town rises 225 meters slm. The Clitunno also flows through the territory of the municipality. Bevagna is in the center, that is, within the historic city walls about 1000 inhabitants, along with the eingemeindeten surrounding hamlets ( frazioni ) are there 5130 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012).

The districts are Cantalupo, caprolactam, Castelbuono, Gaglioli and Torre del Colle.

The neighboring municipalities are Montefalco, Foligno, Montefalco, Montefalco and Spello.

History

First traces of settlement can be found in Bevagna area from the Iron Age, in ancient times, the area was inhabited by the Umbrians. In the year 310 BC the consul Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus broke their power here. The place had (probably since 89 BC) to the rank of municipium. His pastures near the river and its white oxen are mentioned by Propertius, whose family from Asisium (today Assisi ) came, and after him by Silius Italicus, and Statius Lucan.

The city will then again only mentioned in the 1st century: expected in the four emperors in 69 emperors Vitellius the advance of the troops of Vespasian, however, could not be stopped. Due to its important position on the Via Flaminia, the place gained a certain bloom until the route of the Flaminia about Terni and Spoleto was laid in the 3rd century. During this period, Christianity penetrated into the city, presumably by its first bishop and today's city patron, Saint Vincent of Bevagna.

Bevagna was incorporated in the early Middle Ages, part of the Duchy of Spoleto and 774 the Papal States. After the turn of the millennium Bevagna gained municipal autonomy under the government of consuls and came under the rule of various Signoria, also the neighboring city of Perugia. In the city looked in the late 13th century the Dominicans ( and Blessed ) Giacomo Bianconi, a pupil of Albertus Magnus, now the second city saint Bevagna. Bevagna was 1439 again part of the Papal States where it remained until the unification of Italy.

An important role in the history of the city takes the reclamation of the Valle Umbra, a process that begins in the 15th century, during the second half of the 16th century bore its first fruit and in the course of the 19th century through drainage systems of the region its present form gives.

Attractions

In the city there are remains of a Roman temple and a Roman theater, which is now built over by medieval houses. The now-vanished walls from the Roman period were - Pliny ( Hist. Nat xxxv 173. ). Following - built of unbaked bricks. Furthermore, the mosaic with seafood from a Roman bath complex is shown in the city.

The image of the old town surrounded by medieval walls is marked fairly consistent Romanesque. The Piazza F. Silvestri is not only considered one of the most beautiful places in Umbria but is also famous for its original asymmetric urban solution. The churches of San Michele Arcangelo and San Silvestre are buildings from the 12th century. One of the few remaining municipal palaces dating from the 13th century, the Palazzo dei Consoli, the Teatro F. Torti from 1886, is located.

Personalities

• Propertius, a representative of the Roman love elegy