Between History And Legend

Of clear medieval descent, Narni is positioned above a sheltered hill overlooking the picturesque gorge of the river Nera. The first historical establishment was that of the Umbrians, who named the city Nequinum. In 299 B.C. it became a Roman colony, changing its name to Narnia. From the 11th century Narni experienced a period of great economic and cultural wealth, thanks to the consular road Flaminia which passed through the city to connect Rome with the Adriatic Sea. Several important civil and religious buildings are related to this period, such as the Palazzo del Podestà, the Palazzo dei Priori and the Cathedral of San Giovenale. In the 14th century Narni fell under the control of the Pope, and an imposing fortress overseeing the city from above was built by Cardinal Egidio Albornoz.
On a limestone promontory, where it meets the Nera river, strategically situated. It is another important small town nearby at 240 mt along the Flaminian Way. The Lombards governed it with a vassal so it belonged to the Countess Matilde di Canossa. At the beginning of the 1100's it opposed the papacy in favour of the commune system. It also resisted Federico Barbarossa. It was Roman in the 3rd century B.C. In the mid 1200's it fought with the Pope and Perugia against the emperor Frederick II of Svevia who was unable to conquer it. In the 1300's it belonged to the local Orsini family.
Erasmo di Narni was born in the this era, and he was a captain from Venice on orders from Albornoz, who had the fortress built which still dominates the medieval township, perched high up on the mountainside.
It has two famous mineral springs: Feronia and Lecinetto.
The town today maintains its medieval aspect being strongly fortified on steep peaks.
Palazzo Comunale From 1273 with its imposing towers, it was also called Palazzo dei Podestà; on perusal of the archives you can find a certificate of sale for the towers of Piazza Maggiore from 1273. The towers where combined into a single structure with a roof over it. The façade is beautiful with the loggia. The council rooms has paintings by Ghirlandaio and G. Spagna.
Cattedrale It has three naves and a fourth from the 1400's and the apse is Gothic. It was dedicated to San Giovenale in the 1200's and then enlarged. It has two pulpits with ornate sculptures and a portico in the façade.
Chiesa di S. Domenico Is Romanesque from the 1200's and is now a museum with works by Gozzoli, Zuccari and the marble tabernacle by Agostino di Duccio.
Chiesa di S. Maria in Pensole Is from the 1100's and has a beautiful façade.
Ponte di Augusto Is a bridge, monumental in proportion: 160mt long and 30mt high, with some parts done in marble.
Chiesetta di S. Cassiano Is a Romanesque church from the 1200's and quite isolated.
Convento del Sacro Speco where S. Francesco stopped to pray in 1213 in a cave where San Bernardino founded a convent in the 1300's.