Civitella d'Arna: History, Art and a View of Perugia

Civitella d'Arna on a Historic Hill Spur

Civitella d'Arna is located on a 333-metre-high hill spur, approximately 10 kilometres east of Perugia. Archaeological finds date human activity at the site to the Iron Age, between the 9th and 8th centuries BC. Etruscan tombs document the development of the town of Arna from the 4th century BC onwards. Around the 3rd to 2nd century BC, Arna came under Roman influence, became a municipium and was the seat of a bishop by around 90 BC.

Castle, Churches and Works of Art

The Castello di Civitella d'Arna was built around 1297 on Roman foundations. The entrance bastion and a 14th-century arch have been preserved. Inside, the castle contains Roman cisterns that are considered to be well preserved; at the same time, the castle was built above these cisterns. The Chiesa di San Lorenzo houses a gonfalon dated 1492 and attributed to Bartolomeo Caporali, as well as a painting by the Perugian painter Domenico Bruschi. The Chiesina di San Filippo was built around 1650 by the Filippini fathers and houses a painting by Francesco Appiani. The cemetery chapel of San Cristoforo was built in 1189, while the Fonte dell'Osteria dates from the 16th century.

Archaeological Links to the Town

A specific artefact from Civitella d'Arna can also be found in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale dell'Umbria: it houses an antefix featuring the head of a maenad from the town. Together with the Etruscan tombs, Roman traces and later buildings, it forms a historical arc extending from the Iron Age through the town's medieval and modern history.

Festivals Between Bells and the Immacolata

The organisation of the Festa delle Campane e del Dialetto Perugino by Proarna can be traced back to 2000. During the festival, a theatrical performance recalls the casting of a bell in Civitella d'Arna in 1850 and culminates in an actual metal casting. Another local tradition is the “Faloni” of the Immacolata: they are lit every year on 14 August and 7 December. These fixed dates give the festival culture of Civitella d'Arna a clear temporal structure.

Cycling Tour and Views of Perugia

The 64.2-kilometre cycling tour “Itinerario 5 – Ponte San Giovanni e Fratticiola Selvatica” leads to several points of interest, including Civitella d'Arna. The route runs along paved and unpaved roads; gravel bikes, mountain bikes and e-bikes are recommended. When preparing for the cycling tour, its 64.2 kilometres, paved and unpaved roads, as well as the choice of bicycle, play a practical role in travel planning. The outline of Perugia is visible from Civitella d'Arna.

Discover More Places

For your further travel planning, you can also explore Fighille, Agello, Casalina, Sant'Anastasio, Ponte Nuovo, Corciano, Montefalco and Castiglione Della Valle.

To the overarching travel overview: Perugia.