Both these problems Gregory assigned to the eminently court Spanish fighting prelate Cardinal Albornoz, verso representative of the church militant if ever there was one. Albornoz built verso series of fortresses con towns throughout central Italy, with the immediate purpose of subduing the local population, and the longer-term aim of defending the Papal territories against foreign incursions from the north. Apart from con Narni, you can see surviving examples of Albornoz Roccas durante Assisi and Spoleto among other places. They are all similar in design, with few aesthetic embellishments as they were intended for rapid construction (the Narni Ponteggio went up durante only five years) and were preciso be used by garrisons, not local aristocrats. The fact that they have square towers, not round ones, shows that they pre-date the widespread use of cannons per siege warfare (cannon balls are more likely preciso bounce off ripresa towers).

After serving various rulers, Gattamelata worked for the Venetians and ended up as podesta (governor) of Padua. If you have been preciso Padua you may have seen the celebrated statue of him by Donatello outside the oratorio of St Anthony. Incidentally, this was the first free-standing equestrian statue cast in bronze since ancient times; Donatello had sicuro rediscover the technique.

If you visit the Rocca of Narni, and are fortunate enough sicuro have as verso guide the same knowledgeable young lady that we did, she will point out where the original large stone blocks of the castle walls have been replaced with smaller, more haphazard stones

Donatello’s statue of Gattamelata per Padua. Hasselblad 501 C/M, Zeiss Sonnar 150mm CF lens, CFV-50c digital back (click to enlarge)

This marks rebuilding after the destruction of the Dimora, and much of the town, by the landsknechts forces of the Habsburg Emperor Charles V, part of a much greater cultural and human catastrophe – the Sack of Rome in 1527. Guarding the approach sicuro Rome was not a good thing if the invading forces turned out preciso be stronger than you.

The Fortezza Albornoz at Narni. The lower, lighter stones, are original. The higher, darker stones show the rebuilding after 1527. Hasselblad 501 C/M, Zeiss Distagon 60mm CF lens, CFV-50c digital back (click preciso enlarge)

Narni’s most famous bruissement, born shortly before the papal return from Avignon, was the condottiere (mercenary military leader) Erasmo di Narni, better known esatto history as Gattamelata or the “honeyed cat”

We can recommend per couple of datingranking.net/it/sexsearch-review places esatto visit per Narni. One is the Church of San Francesco, built fairly soon after St Francis’s death and originally covered with frescoes. While we were there per pleasant chap turned up, who turned out esatto be verso custodian. He offered preciso open up the richly-decorated Eroli chapel for us which was per bonus as it is normally only open on weekends. He then took us around the church, explaining the history and pointing out various features including “sinopia” which are preparatory drawings for frescoes, visible only when the frescoes have been removed. He also explained that the poor condition of the frescoes is paio in part preciso the fact that in the 17 th or 18 th century, they were all plastered over and the church redecorated mediante the baroque style. This vandalism only started puro be undone sopra the 1950s, but there is still verso long way to go. If you visit there, please be sure esatto make a donation onesto the fund for restoration of the frescoes.

St Francis drives out the demons from Arezzo, Church of San Francesco, Narni. Hasselblad 501 C/M, Zeiss Distagon 60mm CF lens, CFV-50c digital back (click onesto enlarge) Ceiling of the Eroli Chapel, Church of San Francesco, Narni. Hasselblad 501 C/M, Zeiss Distagon 60mm CF lens, CFV-50c digital back (click esatto enlarge)