54-787: Umbria ( / ˈ ʌ m b r i ə / UM -bree-ə ; Italian: [ˈumbrja] ) is a region of central Italy . It includes Lake Trasimeno and Marmore Falls , and is crossed by the Tiber . It is the only landlocked region on the Apennine Peninsula . The regional capital is Perugia . The region is characterized by hills, mountains, valleys and historical towns such as the university centre of Perugia , Assisi (a World Heritage Site associated with St. Francis of Assisi ), Terni , Norcia , Città di Castello , Gubbio , Spoleto , Orvieto , Todi , Castiglione del Lago , Narni , Amelia , Spello and other small cities. Umbria
108-610: A battlefield between the allied forces and the Germans retreating towards the Gothic Line . In 1946, Umbria was incorporated into the Italian Republic as a region , comprising the two provinces of Perugia and Terni. In the province of Perugia : In the province of Terni : The present economic structure emerged from a series of transformations which took place mainly in the 1970s and 1980s. During this period, there
162-444: A centre-left government and confirmed by popular referendum), which granted them residual policy competence. A further federalist reform was proposed by the regionalist party Lega Nord and in 2005, the centre-right government led by Silvio Berlusconi proposed a new reform that would have greatly increased the power of regions. The proposals, which had been particularly associated with Lega Nord , and seen by some as leading
216-673: A magnitude 6.2 earthquake in August , struck about 30 km (20 mi) to the northwest of the August earthquake's epicenter. The civil protection, however, estimated the consequences less dramatically than feared. According to official data, a man died because he had suffered a heart attack as a result of the quake. A third large, shallow earthquake of USGS preliminary magnitude 6.6 struck 6 km (4 mi) north of Norcia at 07:40 local time (06:40 UTC) on 30 October. Early news and social media reports showed heavy damage to some structures. The village of Arquata del Tronto
270-621: A regional constitution, determining the form of government and the fundamental principles of the organization and the functioning of the region, as prescribed by the Constitution of Italy ( Article 123 ). Although all the regions except Tuscany define themselves in various ways as an "autonomous Region" in the first article of their Statutes, fifteen regions have ordinary statutes and five have special statutes, granting them extended autonomy. These regions, whose statutes are approved by their regional councils, were created in 1970, even though
324-484: A second time, almost a thousand years later, during a 500-year period: Benedictine monks started the process in the 13th century, and the draining was completed by an engineer from Foligno in the 18th century. The eastern part of the region, being crossed by many faults , has been often hit by earthquakes: the last ones have been that of 1997 (which hit Nocera Umbra , Gualdo Tadino , Assisi and Foligno) and those of August and October 2016 (which struck Norcia and
378-539: A wooden octagonal prism, similar to an hour-glass shape 4 metres tall and weighing about 280 kg (617 lb). The race has strong devotional, civic, and historical overtones and is one of the best-known folklore manifestations in Italy, and therefore the Ceri were chosen as the heraldic emblem on the coat of arms of Umbria as a modern administrative region. Umbria is not only known for its historical recollections such as
432-419: Is bordered by Tuscany to the west and the north, Marche to the east and Lazio to the south. Partly hilly and mountainous, and partly flat and fertile owing to the valley of the Tiber , its topography includes part of the central Apennines , with the highest point in the region at Monte Vettore on the border of Marche, at 2,476 metres (8,123 feet); the lowest point is Attigliano , 96 metres (315 feet). It
486-403: Is still elected on a regional basis, but the number of senators was reduced from 315 to 200, who are now elected by all citizens aged 18 or older, just like deputies (themselves being reduced from 630 to 400). Italians residing abroad now elect 4 senators (and 8 deputies). The remaining 196 senators are assigned to each region proportionally according to their population. The amended Article 57 of
540-574: Is the only Italian region having neither a coastline nor a common border with other countries. The comune of Città di Castello has an exclave named Monte Ruperto within Marche. Contained within Umbria is the hamlet of Cospaia , which was a tiny republic from 1440 to 1826, created by accident. Umbria is crossed by two valleys: the Umbrian valley ("Valle Umbra"), stretching from Perugia to Spoleto, and
594-878: The signorie arose and the most important of them were those of the Vitelli in Città di Castello , of the Baglioni in Perugia and of the Trinci in Foligno , but the region was subsumed by the middle of the same century into the Papal States by Cardinal Albornoz , who in this way prepared the return of the pope from Avignon to Rome. Città di Castello was subsumed later into the Papal States by Cesare Borgia . During
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#1732765019312648-614: The 1980 Irpinia earthquake . A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck 8 km (5 mi) east southeast of Sellano on 26 October at 19:11 local time (17:11 UTC ) at a depth of 10 km (6 mi). The earthquake was also felt in the city of Rome. In the region of Marche some houses collapsed, Italian media reported. There were also power failures and the telephone lines were interrupted. A magnitude 6.1 intraplate earthquake struck 3 km (2 mi) west of Visso on 26 October at 21:18 local time (19:18 UTC ). The earthquake, which occurred two months after
702-908: The Constitution of Italy originally established that the Senate of the Republic was to be elected on a regional basis by Italian citizens aged 25 or older (unlike the Chamber of the Deputies , which was elected on a national basis and by all Italian citizens aged 18 or older). No region could have less than 7 senators, except for the two smallest regions: Aosta Valley (1 senator) and Molise (2 senators). From 2006 to 2020, 6 out of 315 senators (and 12 out of 630 deputies) were elected by Italians residing abroad . After two constitutional amendments were passed respectively in 2020 (by constitutional referendum ) and 2021, however, there have been changes. The Senate
756-515: The Constitution of Italy , each region is an autonomous entity with defined powers. With the exception of the Aosta Valley (since 1945) and Friuli-Venezia Giulia (2018–2020), each region is divided into a number of provinces . During the Kingdom of Italy , regions were mere statistical districts of the central state. Under the Republic, they were granted a measure of political autonomy by
810-528: The Democratic Party and left-leaning parties for over 50 years, however in 2019 the candidate of the centre-right coalition Donatella Tesei won the region's presidential election against her centre-left rival Vincenzo Bianconi, garnering 57.5% of the vote. As of 2008, the Italian national institute of statistics ISTAT estimated that 75,631 foreign-born immigrants live in Umbria, equal to 8.5% of
864-496: The Italian Constitution grants home rule to five regions, namely the Aosta Valley , Friuli-Venezia Giulia , Sardinia , Sicily , and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol , allowing them some legislative, administrative and financial power to a varying extent, depending on their specific statute. These regions became autonomous in order to take into account cultural differences and protect linguistic minorities. Moreover,
918-583: The Italic languages , related to Latin and Oscan . The town of Gubbio houses today the longest and most important document of any of the Osco-Umbrian group of languages, the Iguvine Tablets , written in Umbrian at the turn of the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. The northern part of the region was occupied by Gallic tribes. The Umbri probably sprang, like neighbouring peoples, from the creators of
972-548: The Marmore waterfall and its secluded position. The region of Umbria at the time was somewhat larger than today, comprising Rieti to the south, now part of Lazio . Rieti was detached and added to the Province of Rome (Lazio) in 1923. In 1927, the region of Umbria was divided into the provinces of Perugia and Terni. During WWII, the industrial centers of the region like Terni and Foligno were heavily bombed and in 1944 became
1026-702: The Terramara , and Proto-Villanovan culture in northern and central Italy, who entered north-eastern Italy at the beginning of the Bronze Age . The Etruscans were the chief enemies of the Umbri. The Etruscan invasion extended from the western seaboard towards the north and east from about 700 to 500 BC. They eventually drove the Umbrians towards the Apennine uplands and captured 300 Umbrian towns. Nevertheless,
1080-535: The Tiber Valley ("Val Tiberina"), north and west of the first one, from Città di Castello to the border with Lazio. The Tiber River forms the approximate border with Lazio, although its source is just over the Tuscan border. The Tiber's three principal tributaries flow southward through Umbria. The Chiascio basin is relatively uninhabited as far as Bastia Umbra . About 10 kilometres (6 miles) farther on, it joins
1134-640: The Tiber basin [ Wikidata ] , has created a wide floodplain. In antiquity, the plain was covered by a pair of shallow, interlocking lakes, the Lacus Clitorius and the Lacus Umber. They were drained by the Romans over several hundred years. An earthquake in the 4th century and the political collapse of the Roman Empire resulted in the refilling of the basin. It was drained
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#17327650193121188-484: The giunta , and nominates or dismisses its members, called assessori . If the directly elected president resigns, new elections are called immediately. In the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region, the regional council is made up of the joint session of the two provincial councils of Trentino and of South Tyrol. The regional president is one of the two provincial commissioners. Article 57 of
1242-459: The via Flaminia (219 BC). The via Flaminia became a principal vector for Roman development in Umbria. During Hannibal 's invasion during the second Punic war , the battle of Lake Trasimene was fought inside the borders of today's Umbria, but the local people did not aid the invader. During the Roman civil war between Mark Antony and Octavian (40 BC), the city of Perugia supported Antony and
1296-517: The 15th century Renaissance spread in the northern part of the region. It was in this period that humanists started to use again the ancient denomination of "Umbria" to name the area, which until then had been named "Ducato", after the Duchy of Spoleto in the southern part of it. The supremacy of the pope on Umbria was reinforced in 16th century through the erection of a fortress in Perugia by Pope Paul III , named after him Rocca Paolina . The papacy ruled
1350-560: The 1948 Italian Constitution . The original draft list comprised the Salento region (which was eventually included in Apulia ); Friuli and Venezia Giulia were separate regions, and Basilicata was named Lucania . Abruzzo and Molise were identified as separate regions in the first draft, but were later merged into Abruzzi e Molise in the final constitution of 1948, before being separated in 1963. Implementation of regional autonomy
1404-483: The 20th century, natural umber pigments began to be replaced by pigments made with synthetic iron oxide and manganese oxide. Natural umber pigments are still being made, with Cyprus as a prominent source. Umbria was a former stronghold of the Italian Communist Party , forming with Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna and Marche what was then known as Italy's " Red Regions ". Umbria was considered a stronghold of
1458-616: The Apennines. Pliny the Elder recounted a fanciful derivation for the tribal name from the Greek ὄμβρος ( ombros , "a shower"), which led to the idea that they had survived the Deluge familiar from Greek mythology, allowing them to claim to be the most ancient race in Italy. In fact, they belonged to a broader family of neighbouring peoples with similar roots. Their language was Umbrian , one of
1512-571: The Constitution provides that no region can have fewer than 3 senators representing it, barring Aosta Valley and Molise, which retained 1 and 2 senators respectively. October 2016 Central Italy earthquakes A series of major earthquakes struck Central Italy between the Marche and Umbria regions in October 2016. The third quake on 30 October was the largest in Italy in 36 years, since
1566-506: The Great ), and run through throngs of cheering supporters. The cerioli are clad in the distinctive colors of yellow, blue or black, according to the saint they support, with white trousers and red belts and neckbands. They travel up much of the mountain from the main square in front of the Palazzo dei Consoli to the basilica of St. Ubaldo, each team carrying a statue of their saint mounted on
1620-495: The Italian Constitution dates back to 1948. Since the constitutional reform of 2001 they have had residual legislative powers: the regions have exclusive legislative power with respect to any matters not expressly reserved to state law ( Article 117 ). Yet their financial autonomy is quite modest: they keep just 20% of all levied taxes, mostly used to finance the region-based healthcare system . Article 116 of
1674-740: The Lombard kingdoms, some Umbrian territories were given to the Pope, who established temporal power over them. Some cities acquired a form of autonomy named comune . These cities were frequently at war with each other, often in a context of more general conflicts, either between the Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire or between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines . In the early 14th century,
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1728-685: The Tiber at Torgiano . The Topino , cleaving the Apennines with passes that the Via Flaminia and successor roads follow, makes a sharp turn at Foligno to flow NW for a few kilometres before joining the Chiascio below Bettona . The third river is the Nera , flowing into the Tiber further south, at Terni; its valley is called the Valnerina . The upper Nera cuts ravines in the mountains; the lower, in
1782-529: The Two Worlds), an annual summer music and opera festival which is held each June to early July in Spoleto . Regions of Italy The regions of Italy ( Italian : regioni d'Italia ) are the first-level administrative divisions of the Italian Republic , constituting its second NUTS administrative level. There are twenty regions, five of which are autonomous regions with special status . Under
1836-589: The Umbrian population does not seem to have been eradicated in the conquered districts. The border between Etruria and Umbria was the Tiber river, as testified by the ancient name of Todi, Tular ("border"). After the downfall of the Etruscans, Umbrians aided the Samnites in their struggle against Rome (308 BC). Later communications with Samnium were impeded by the Roman fortress of Narnia (founded 229 BC on
1890-654: The Valnerina). In literature, Umbria is referred to as Il cuore verde d'Italia or The green heart of Italy . The phrase is taken from a poem by Giosuè Carducci , the subject of which is the source of the Clitunno River in Umbria. The region is named for the Umbri people, an Italic people which was absorbed by the expansion of the Romans . The Umbri, unlike the Etruscans, with few exceptions did not live in an urban society, but occupied small dwellings located in
1944-752: The end of the Gothic war , the Lombards invaded Italy and founded the duchy of Spoleto , covering much of today's southern Umbria, but the Byzantine were able to keep in the region a corridor along the Via Flaminia linking Rome with the Exarchate of Ravenna and the Pentapolis . The Lombard king controlled also the northern part of the region ruled directly by Pavia. When Charlemagne conquered most of
1998-647: The festival of the Ceri, Calendimaggio in Assisi and the giostra della Quintana in Foligno, but also for one of the biggest jazz music festivals called Umbria Jazz . Umbria Jazz was born as a festival in 1973 and since 2003 has been held in the Umbrian capital "Perugia" in July; it has become the fixed appointment of all jazz and good music lovers. Another important festival is the Festival dei Due Mondi (Festival of
2052-402: The fields of chemistry, hydroelectric power, renewable sources of energy, and textiles ( Alcantara , Cashmere ). In the rest of the region the ornamental ceramics industry is much esteemed. Umbrian agriculture is noted for its tobacco, olive oil and vineyards, which produce wines. Regional varietals include the white Orvieto , which draws agri-tourists to the vineyards in the area surrounding
2106-533: The government wanted to prevent them from potentially seceding or being taken away from Italy after the defeat in World War II . Each region has an elected parliament, called Consiglio Regionale (regional council), or Assemblea Regionale (regional assembly) in Sicily, and a government called Giunta Regionale (regional committee), headed by a governor called Presidente della Giunta Regionale (president of
2160-630: The medieval town of the same name. A notable wine is the Grechetto of Todi . Other noted wines produced in Umbria are Torgiano and Rosso di Montefalco . The Umbrian wineries are at the center of the "Cantine Aperte" or "Open Cellars" event, when local wine makers open their wineries to the public. Another typical Umbrian product is the black truffle found in Valnerina, an area that produces 45% of this product in Italy. The food industry in Umbria produces processed pork-meats, confectionery, pasta and
2214-476: The northern Marche to Ravenna , but excluded the west bank of the Tiber, which belonged to Etruria. Thus Perugia was an Etruscan city and the area around Norcia was in the Sabine territory. After the collapse of the Roman empire , Ostrogoths and Byzantines struggled for supremacy in the region, and the decisive battle of the war between these two peoples took place near modern Gualdo Tadino . Soon after
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2268-637: The people of Perugia destroyed in the same year the Rocca Paolina, symbol of the papal oppression. The region of Umbria, with capital Perugia, became part of the Kingdom of Italy in the following year. The region, whose economy was mainly based on agriculture, experienced a dramatic economic shift at the end of the 19th century with the founding of the Acciaierie di Terni , a major steelwork placed in Terni because of its abundance of electric power due to
2322-532: The place of the umbrian Nequinum , conquered in 299 BC). Romans defeated the Samnites and their Gallic allies in the battle of Sentinum (295 BC). Allied Umbrians and Etruscans had to return home and defend each of their territories against simultaneous Roman attacks, leaving the Samnites without their help at Sentinum. The Roman victory at Sentinum initiated a period of integration under the Roman rulers, who established some colonies, such as Spoletium , and built
2376-495: The process of faulting along the chain of the Apennine Mountains is a relatively recent one in geological terms, starting 500,000 years ago, the faults are more irregular, so more shaking occurs due to foreshocks according to seismologist Ross Stein from Stanford University. In this case the destructive shock on 26 October was preceded by the foreshock by two hours, causing people to leave their homes and be safer when
2430-517: The region uncontested until the end of the 18th century. After the French Revolution and the French conquest of Italy, Umbria became part of the ephemeral Roman Republic (1798–1799) and later, part of the Napoleonic Empire (1809–1814) under the name of department of Trasimène . After Napoleon's defeat, the Pope regained Umbria and ruled it until 1860. In that year, during Italian Risorgimento , Umbria with Marche and part of Emilia Romagna were annexed by Piedmontese King Victor Emmanuel II , and
2484-400: The regional committee) or Presidente della Regione (regional president). The latter is directly elected by the citizens of each region, with the exceptions of Aosta Valley and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol regions where the president is chosen by the regional council. Under the 1995 electoral law, the winning coalition receives an absolute majority of seats on the council. The president chairs
2538-516: The total population of the region. Umbria is divided into two provinces : One of the most important festivals in Umbria is "the festival of the Ceri (Candles)", also known as Saint Ubaldo Day in Gubbio . The race has been held every year since 1160, on the 15th day of May. The festival is focused around a race consisting of three teams of cerioli , carrying large symbolic "candles" topped by saints, including St. Ubald (the patron saint of Gubbio), S. Giorgio ( St. George ), and S. Antonio ( Anthony
2592-405: The traditional products of Valnerina in preserved form (truffles, lentils, cheese). The unemployment rate stood at 8.2% in 2020. Umbria has many small and picturesque villages, 31 of them have been selected by I Borghi più belli d'Italia (English: The most beautiful Villages of Italy ), a non-profit private association of small Italian towns of strong historical and artistic interest, that
2646-415: The way to a federal state, were rejected in the 2006 Italian constitutional referendum by 61.7% "no" to 38.3% "yes". The results varied considerably among the regions, ranging from 55.3% in favour in Veneto to 82% against in Calabria . Number of regions governed by each coalition since 1995: Macroregions are the first-level NUTS of the European Union . Every region has a statute that serves as
2700-405: Was almost completely destroyed by Octavian. In Pliny the Elder 's time, 49 independent communities still existed in Umbria, and the abundance of inscriptions and the high proportion of recruits in the imperial army attest to its population. Under Augustus, Umbria became the Regio VI of Roman Italy. Modern Umbria is different from Roman Umbria . Roman Umbria extended through most of what is now
2754-468: Was destroyed, as were several heritage buildings. These include the Basilica of Saint Benedict in Norcia, the Church of San Salvatore and other churches in Campi. Two women died of sudden heart attacks during the quake. The quakes occurred in a seismic gap which is located between the areas hit by the 2016 August earthquake and the one in Umbria and Marche of 1997 . In that gap no strong earthquake happened for more than 100 years until 2016. As
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#17327650193122808-459: Was founded on the initiative of the Tourism Council of the National Association of Italian Municipalities. Umbria is the region where the Umber pigment was originally extracted. The name comes from terra d'ombra , or earth of Umbria, the Italian name of the pigment. The word also may be related to the Latin word umbra , meaning "shadow". Umber is a natural brown or reddish-brown earth pigment that contains iron oxide and manganese oxide . In
2862-400: Was postponed until the first Regional elections of 1970. The ruling Christian Democracy party did not want the opposition Italian Communist Party to gain power in the regions where it was historically rooted (the red belt of Emilia-Romagna , Tuscany , Umbria and the Marches ). Regions acquired a significant level of autonomy following a constitutional reform in 2001 (brought about by
2916-558: Was rapid expansion among small and medium-sized firms and a gradual retrenchment among the large firms which had hitherto characterised the region's industrial base. This process of structural adjustment is still going on. Economically the most important region is the upper Tiber valley with Città di Castello . Terni steelworks (stainless steel, titanium, alloy steel) and processing companies (automotive, stainless steel tubes, industrial food facility) account for 20 to 25% of Umbria's GDP. In Terni there are also many multinational companies in
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