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Bettona

Description

Bettona is a municipality in the province of Perugia, located between the Martani Mountains and the river Tiber. The town features traces of its illustrious past: the medieval city walls, still preserved intact, and parts of the easily distinguishable ancient Etruscan walls and a tomb from the same period. It is an agricultural center famous for the production of extra virgin olive oil.
The town was founded by the Etruscans between the VIII and VII century B.C. and subsequently colonized by the Romans, it was proclaimed Municipium. After the fall of the Empire, the town was exposed to unpredictable and violent attacks of Barbarian invaders and submitted a rapid decline. Only with the advent of the Benedictines, the whole area regained vitality, thanks to new development.
In the medieval period the town submitted the domain of the Byzantines and subsequently became part of the Duchy of Spoleto. In the XII century Bettona was ceded to the Papal States and in the XIV century, under the jurisdiction of Assisi, the town was conquered and destroyed by its rival Perugia, but rebuilt, shortly after, with a more effective defensive system. The town was then subjected to the Trinci and in the XV century to the Baglioni, until it returned in possession of the Papal States from the mid-XVII century.

Attractions:
- the Church of San Crispolto, built by Benedictine monks in the early XIII century, in order to preserve the remains of the Bishop and Martyr, patron Saint of the town. Of the original structure with a Latin cross plan, remains only the Bell Tower, surmounted by a spire, while the façade is the result of a XIX century reconstruction;
- the XIII century Oratory of St. Andrew, which has lost its original characteristics because of the subsequent and frequent restructuring. Inside it features a XVI century coffered wood ceiling, an XVIII century altar and a cycle of frescoes dating from the late XIV century;
- the XIII century Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, restored in Neoclassical style in the XIX century. Of the original building remains only a chapel dedicated to Santa Rita, in the Gothic style. Inside are preserved a masterpiece by the Perugino and other valuables of artistic heritage;
- the Church of San Chirico;
- the Municipal Art Gallery, located in the Palazzo of the Podestà, preserves a collection of valuable paintings by the Perugino, Siculo, Della Robbia and Doni, as well as several archaeological finds;
- Villa Boccaglione, designed and built under the supervision of the architect Piermarini;
- Palazzo Biancalana, built in the first half of the XIX century;
- Palazzo Baglioni;
- the remains of the Etruscan and Medieval walls.

Map

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