Orvietto

September 18, 2010
We spent part of our preparation day visiting the hill top town of Orvietto.

"Orvieto is a city and comune in southwestern Umbria, situated on the flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tuff. The site of the city is among the most dramatic in Europe, rising above the almost-vertical faces of tuff cliffs that are completed by defensive walls built of the same stone."

The Duomo

Orvieto Cathedral Commentary
"Though the town is full of historic buildings, none can equal its superb Romanesque-Gothic cathedral, begun in 1290, and the medieval square it faces."
— G. E. Kidder Smith. Looking at Architecture. p56.

"Ippolito Scalza sculpted the large Pietà in 1579. It took him eight years to the carve the four figures in this imposing marble group." Views looking out from Orvietto.

Orvietto is famous for it's handpainted original ceramics.

A field of sunflowers taken from the car window and....

my beautiful ceramic sunflower bowl and olive oil dispenser...

surprise birthday gifts from a wonderful husband.