Gualdo
Tadino, (Latin: Tadinum, later Taginae) an ancient town
of Italy, in the province of Perugia in northeastern
Umbria, on the lower flanks of Mt. Penna, a mountain of the
History Apennines. It is 47 km NE of Perugia and 30 km SE of
Gubbio.
Gualdo has a long history and was originally an
Umbrian village known as Tarsina. Conquered by the
Romans in 266 BC and re-christened Tadinum, it was a station
on the Via Flaminia. In 217 BC it was destroyed by
Hannibal's troops. A similar defeat was inflicted on it in
47 BC by Julius Caesar and in 410 AD by Alaric's
Visigoths.
In 552, the Byzantine general Narses briefly restored
Italy to the empire by defeating the Ostrogoth king Baduila
in what is now known as the Battle of Taginae, the exact
site of which is not known, but thought by most scholars to
be a few kilometers from the town, in the plain to the west
at a place called Taino. This suspicion may have received
confirmation in 2004.
The ancient city survived that war, only to be destroyed in
a later war at the instigation of the Holy Roman Emperor
Otto III in 966. It was later rebuilt, only to be destroyed
a second time by fire in 1237. Finally, the Emperor
Frederick II ordered the city rebuilt for a third time
in 1239, and it is this incarnation which survives today.
Gualdo Tadino sister cities are: West Pittston, PA
(USA) and Audun Le Tiche, France
Economy
The city was famous in the Middle Ages for the
manufacture of ceramic ware; in the late 20th
century, the ceramic industry was revived, and
Gualdo is now an important center for the manufacture
of industrial ceramics and bathroom fittings. |
Main sights
Rocca
Flea, a 12th century castle which is now the main monument
of the town.
Church
of St. Francis (13th century), housing frescoes by Matteo da
Gualdo.
Church
of Santa Chiara (13th century).
Palazzo
del Podestà.
Torre
Civica (Town Tower).
Church
of St. Benedict, with an external fountain attributed to
Antonio da Sangallo the Elder (16th century).
Civic
Gallery, with works by Matteo da Gualdo and others. |