Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Palazzo dei Priori

Perugia was an Umbrian settlement on top of a mountain that became a Roman colonia around 250 BC. In 547 Totila´s Ostrogoth troops looted the city after a long siege. Legends tell, that Perugia´s bishop Herculanus, who negotiated with Totila in behalf of his folks, got beheaded by the Ostrogoths, making St. Herculanus (aka "Sant' Ercolano") to the city´s patron saint. In the 9th century, with the consent of the Carolingians, it passed under the popes. Within the 11th century gained independency. After a long conflict, in 1370 the city signed a treaty accepting a papal legate, but already 5 years later the vicar-general of the Papal States was expelled by a popular uprising. During the Italian Wars Perugia passed through many hands until Condottiero Braccio da Montone reached a concordance with the Papacy. It did not bring peace to the city, but led to the "Salt War" in 1540, that had started as a protest against paying new taxes on salt. The papal troops forced a surrender. Within a few years, more than hundred houses, as well as churches and monasteries were destroyed and used as building material to built an enormous fortress, the "Rocca Paolina". The fort was for centuries a symbol of oppressive papal rule. - The "Piazza IV Novembre" (once "Piazza Grande") was the Forum in Roman times. In the center the "Fontana Maggiore", the large building behind is the "Palazzo dei Priori".

Todi was founded by the Umbri, in the 8th-7th century BC. The settlement on top of a mountain was named "Tutere", what meant "border", as it was located on the frontier with the Etruscans` area. It was conquered by the Romans in 217 BC and changed the name to Tuder. Christianity reached Todi very early and already in the 2nd century a bishop resided here. The Ostrogoths took the town after a siege and in 759 the Longobards followed. After negotiation between Pope Paul I and Desiderius, last King of the Lombards and Charlemagne´s father in law, Todi became incorporated into the Duchy of Rome. In 771 Charlemagne had the marriage annulled. Soon after he attacked and defeated Desiderius, assumed the title King of the Lombards (774) and disposed of his ex-father, who lived the rest of his life in the abbey of Corbie. The "Piazza del Popolo" is the historic center of Todi. Seen here is the "Palazzo dei Priori" on the southern side of the Piazza. It was begun in 1293 and later enlarged. To the left are the "Palazzo del Popolo", a Lombard-Gothic construction already existing in 1213, and the "Palazzo del Capitano", built around 1293, with the two two distinct levels. On the northern side (in my back) is the Duomo di Todi.