Monteleone d'Orvieto

Monteleone d'Orvieto
Comune
Comune di Monteleone d'Orvieto
Coat of arms
Location of Monteleone d'Orvieto
Monteleone d'Orvieto Location of Monteleone d'Orvieto in Italy Monteleone d'Orvieto Monteleone d'Orvieto (Umbria)
Coordinates: 42°55′N 12°3′E
Country	Italy
Region	Umbria
Province	Terni (TR)
Frazioni	Colle, San Lorenzo, Santa Maria, Spiazzolino
Government
• Mayor	Angelo Larocca
Area
• Total	23.9 km2 (9.2 sq mi)
Elevation	500 m (1,600 ft)
Population  (30 November 2017)
• Total	1,436
• Density	60/km2 (160/sq mi)
Demonym	Monteleonesi
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	05017
Dialing code	0763
Patron saint	St. Theodore, St. Paul and St. Peter
Saint day	June 29
Website	Official website

Monteleone d'Orvieto is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Terni in the Italian region Umbria, located about 35 km southwest of Perugia and about 60 km northwest of Terni. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy").

History

According to 16th-century historian Cipriano Manente, Monteleone was founded by the comune of Orvieto in 1052, as a castle guarding its northern boundaries. In 1373 Emperor Charles IV assigned it to the viscounts of Turrena, and later it was contended by several local barons such as the Corbara family and a nephew of Pope Sixtus IV. In 1481 it was returned to Orvieto.

In 1643, during the War of Castro fought between the Barberini Pope Urban VIII and the house of Farnese, Monteleone was besieged and destroyed by the troops of Florence.

Main sights

• Remains of the medieval walls, including the northern gate.
• Church of SS. Apostoli Pietro e Paolo. It houses a Madonna with Child between Sts. Paul and Peter, once attributed to Perugino but most likely from his collaborator Giacomo di Ser Guglielmo of Città della Pieve.
• Church of SS. Crocifisso (17th century)
• Medieval Torrione ("Big Tower"), offering a wide panorama of Umbria, Tuscany and Lazio.
• Castel Brandetto (11th century, destroyed in 1350). Now it is a private-owned residence showing few remains of the medieval edifice.