A Brief History of Orvieto

Orvieto is a medieval city in southwestern Umbria, Italy situated on the flat summit of a large butte of tufa, a volcanic ash stone. The town has been continuously occupied for two and a half millenia - since Etruscan times, when it was considered a major center and important meeting place - and has a long history as a center for fine craftsmanship. The view of the city is among the most dramatic in Europe, rising above the almost-vertical faces of tufa cliffs and wrapped in defensive stone of the same material. Because of this rich history, the city now houses some of the most interesting and extensive archeological collections of ruins and artifacts.

In the middle ages, the city reached 30,000 and in the late thirteenth century, Pope Nicholas IV laid the foundation for what is now the city's Duomo, or central cathedral. In fact, the walls of the Duomo are built in part of basalt, a volcanic rock.

The name, Orvieto, is thought to come from the latin urbs vetus, meaning "Old City." It is perhaps interesting to note that the region of Umbria is often referred to as the Green Heart of Italy, which is taken from a poem and refers to the beauty of the area, which is a varied landscape of vineyards and olive groves. Orvieto is famous for its white wines and is a member of both the Slow Food and Slow Citta Movements, which seek to maintain a particular cultural quality of life and cuisine, along with native plants and animals. Both movements have members all over the world.