43°07N 12°23E, pop (2000e) 145 000. Capital town of Perugia province, Umbria, C Italy, on a hill 493 m/1790 ft above the Tiber valley, 141 km/88 mi N of Rome; founded by Etruscans; taken by Romans, 295 BC; archbishopric; railway; university (1276); agricultural products, textiles, cement, printing, tanning, furniture, pasta, chocolate, cultural activities, tourism; Cathedral of San Lorenzo (15th-c), town hall (13th-c), Arco d'Augusto (Etruscan town gate), Church of San Pietro dei Cassiensi; jazz festival (Jul); music festival (Sep).
| Comune di Perugia | |
|---|---|
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Municipal coat of arms |
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| Country | Italy |
| Region | Umbria |
| Province | Perugia (PG) |
| Mayor | Renato Locchi (since June 13, 2004) |
| Elevation | 493 m |
| Area | 449 km² |
| Population | |
| - Total (as of December 31, 2004) | 157,842 |
| - Density | 352/km² |
| Time zone | CET, UTC+1 |
| Coordinates | 43°07′N 12°23′E |
| Gentilic | Perugini |
| Dialing code | 075 |
| Postal code | 06100 |
| Frazioni | see list |
| Patron | St. Constantius, St. Herculanus |
| - Day | January 29 |
| Website: www.comune.perugia.it | |
Perugia is the capital city in the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the Tiber river, and the capital of the province of Perugia.
Perugia gave its nickname to the famous painter Perugino (Pietro Vannucci), who lived and worked there.
History
Perugia first appears (as Perusia) in history as one of the twelve confederate cities of Etruria.
In 216 and 205 BCE it assisted Rome in the Hannibalic war, but afterwards it is not mentioned until 41-40 BCE, when Lucius Antonius took refuge there, and was reduced by Octavian after a long siege.
It is hardly mentioned except by the geographers until the middle of the 6th century, when it was captured by Totila after a long siege.
In the Lombard period it is spoken of as one of the principal cities of Tuscia.
On various occasions the popes found asylum within its walls, and it was the meeting-place of the conclaves which elected Honorius II (1124), Honorius IV (1285), Celestine V (1294), and Clement V (1305).
In the 15th century power was at last concentrated in the Baglioni family, who, though they had no legal position, defied all other authority.
In 1797, the city was conquered by French troops.
In 1832, 1838, 1854 and 1997 Perugia was visited by earthquakes;
Perugia has become famous for chocolate, mostly because of a single firm, Perugina, whose Baci (kisses) are widely exported. Perugia chocolate is very popular in Italy, and the city hosts a chocolate festival in October of every year.
Perugia today hosts two main universities, the Università degli Studi and the Foreigners University(Università per Stranieri), and are melting pots for students from all over Italy and the world. The city also hosts the Umbra Institute, an American school for students studying abroad in Perugia.
The city symbol is the griffin, which can be seen in the form of plaques and statues on buildings around the city. The Collegio del Cambio has frescoes by Pietro Perugino, while the Collegio della Mercanzia has a fine later 14th century wooden interior. Bernardino (with façade by Agostino di Duccio) Fontana Maggiore, a medieval fountain designed by Fra Bevignate and sculpted by Nicolò and Giovanni Pisano Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria, the National Gallery of Umbrian art in Middle Ages and Renaissance (it includes works by Duccio, Piero della Francesca, Fra Angelico, Perugino) Ipogeo dei Volumni (Hypogeum of the Volumnus family), an Etruscan chamber tomb National Museum of Umbrian Archaeology Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo Porta Augusta, a Roman gate with Etruscan elements the Rocca Paolina, a Renaissance fortress (1540-1543) of which only a bastion today is remaining. The Etruscan arch
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