It is less than 50 miles away from our home in Pienza but in a different region of Italy. We weren’t prepared for the differences we saw, but it was a reminder of how the mountainous geography and fractious political history created regional differences far greater than anything we have in the states.
What did we see in a short, two-day visit?
First the architecture.
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Pienza: note the shapes and colors
Orvieto...note how the colors differ from Pienza.
The shapes of the buildings are different.
Montalcino's famous clock tower...
...and Orvieto's equally famous San Andrea Bell Tower
And the courtyards of the palazzi have a different aesthetic.
Pienza's Piccolomini Palace
Orvieto Palace
The differences in artistic taste are clearly seen in each region's ceramica...
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| Tuscan platter with traditional Etruscian design. |
The whites, yellows, and browns are typical of traditional Umbrian ceramics.
Each region's political history highlights these same differences. In the middle ages, Central Italy was torn apart by a civil war that lasted more than 300 years.
On one side were the Ghibellines, who supported the Pope's right to political rule.
Most of Umbria was in this camp.
On the other side were the Guelphs, who opposed the Pope as a political ruler.
Most of Tuscany was in this camp.
The food too is different.
Tuscany is famous for its red wine....
...while Umbria is famous for its white.
In Tuscany, this pasta is known as pici and is usually made with eggs...
...In Umbria, it’s known as Unbrichelli and is never made with eggs.
In a Tuscan, this veal steak would not come with a green sauce...
Umbria is called the “green heart of Italy” and is famous for its vegetables. Therefore, in Orvieto the artichoke sauce makes perfect sense on this slab of grilled veal.
In Tuscany, faraona (guinea hen) is a common form of restaurant fowl. In Orvieto, it's piccione (pigeon).
In our next post, we'll show you how rock shaped Orvieto's history and made it the tourist destination it is.
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