The town of Raffaello: Urbino

In order to reach Urbino we will drive direction S. Giustino and from there follow the signs for Urbino. The road to this beautiful city has many curves, but beautiful landscapes.

Once entered in Urbino we will immeditaly notice the Palazzo Ducale: a magnificent building from the Renaissance, but also a very safe fortress. 

The so calles ‘building in form f a city" is very famous for its innovative architectural features. Federico da Montefeltro the Lord of Urbino, wanted to have in the city a unique proof of his power and appointed in the middle of the XV century Maso di Bartolomeo from Florence with the task of starting the construction. He included in the new fortress the ancient building "della Jole". But the real artist was Luciano Laurana who designed the magnificent internal court and staircase and the facade with the little towers (torricini).

Within the Palazzo Ducale today is situated the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche (National Gallery of the Region Marche): in the second half of the XIV century Urbino turned from a medieval city into a city of the Renaissance, thanks to Federico da Montefeltro. In the mittle of it Federico's plans foresaw a magnificent "Palazzo", symbol not only of its power but also of his passion for culture and liberty.   

Federico, together with his highly cultivated wife Battista Sforza called to his court the most famous artists of his time: Donato Bramante, Paolo Uccello, Leon Battista Alberti, Luciano Laurana, Francesco di Giorgio Martini, Piero della Francesca and the flemish painter Giusto di Gand.

The National Gallery has been created within the Palazzo Ducale in 1912. The Gallery hosts some of the most famous works of arts worldwide: La Flagellazione di Cristo and La Madonna di Senigallia by Piero della Francesca; La Comunione degli Apostoli by Giusto di Gand; Il Miracolo dell' Ostia Profanata by Paolo Uccello; The Muta by Raffaello.
 

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