Both these problems Gregory assigned preciso the eminently courtaud Spanish fighting prelate Cardinal Albornoz, verso representative https://datingranking.net/it/talkwithstranger-review/ of the church militant if ever there was one. Albornoz built a series of fortresses mediante 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 mediante Narni, you can see surviving examples of Albornoz Roccas per 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 Castello went up in only five years) and were sicuro be used by garrisons, not local aristocrats. The fact that they have square towers, not ripresa ones, shows that they pre-date the widespread use of cannons durante siege warfare (cannon balls are more likely puro bounce off turno towers).

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

If you visit the Ponteggio of Narni, and are fortunate enough preciso have as a duplice 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 sopra Padua. Hasselblad 501 C/M, Zeiss Sonnar 150mm CF lens, CFV-50c digital back (click sicuro enlarge)

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

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

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

We can recommend verso couple of places esatto visit durante 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 puro be verso custodian. He offered puro open up the richly-decorated Eroli chapel for us which was a gratifica 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 durante the 17 th or 18 th century, they were all plastered over and the church redecorated per the baroque style. This vandalism only started preciso be undone sopra the 1950s, but there is still verso long way preciso go. If you visit there, please be sure preciso make per donation preciso 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 esatto 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 to enlarge)