Dearest Adventurers,
What a fabulous surprise to see the regal Orvieto recently
featured in the on-line magazine, Italian Notebook.
I just had to share the amazing article...
"Orvieto is a town perched on top of a 600-foot plateau of
volcanic rock. It’s fun to park below and take the funicular
to the top, imagining what’s in store. Once in the main
square, you’ll face the brilliant signature of the town, the
astounding golden façade of its cathedral, soaring seven
stories high. This cathedral is a work of art in itself, the
horizontal stripes inside and out are similar to those in
Sienna, but here its powerful buttresses dominate the
vertical structure, as if the stripes wrap a marvelous gift.
The Gothic façade of the Orvieto Cathedral is one of the
great masterpieces of the Late Middle Ages. At the time
it was built, the cathedral of Orvieto was an old dilapidated
basilica. It took the Popes sixty years to convince the
townspeople to sponsor the construction of a new one.
When the cornerstone was laid in 1290, the old building
began to acquire a new appearance, blending Byzantine
and northern elements into a prime example of Italian
Gothic style. The town’s famous gray and white basalt and
travertine Cathedral, with an exposed timber roof, dominates
the surrounding countryside. From the hill toward Montefiascone
and Bolsena, it’s possible to take a spectacular photo, especially
during the afternoon, when sun shines on its golden façade."
It seems this was written just for us - to add to the already enormous excitement of all our planning to be right there visiting this breath-
taking vision of the Duomo, taking in her exquisite beauty.
And I, along with my friend and adorable mother-in-law, Marylin
Huskamp, would like to extend a personal invitation to you,
dearest adventures, to come with us.
Our trip is planned for September 2010. Check out all the
FABULOUS details of our upcoming adventure... HERE!
