Umbria OnLine - Perugia Italy - Multilingual Tourist Guide - Hotels & Events
  
Perugia Perugia Perugia
PERUGIA

San Sisto - An Impregnable Fortress



11th century maps intidate that San Sisto and Sant’Andrea delle Fratte were two different fortresses known as Sansoste and Sant’Andrea delle Fratte. Both castles stood along the main communication routes that ran through the lands controlled by Perugia, today Via Pievaiola and Viale San Sisto, in what is today the Porta Santa Susanna quarter of town.

Emperor Frederick II at San Sisto
The ruins of the castle of San Sisto are still visible on the slopes of Mount Lacugnano. It is likely that a lord lived here in the Middle Ages, with the castle acting as a watchpost and the surrounding lands farmed by serfs. Documents in the archives of the church of San Pietro clearly report that Emperor Frederick II set up camp just two miles from Perugia in 1235, near a castle known as Sansoste, on his way back from the Crusades. It appears he decided not to attack the city, finding it too well defended. From here the emperor made his way towards Germany to quash the rebellion instigated by his son, conquering a number of cities up through Italy.

Other documents indicate that a church, with possibly an inn opposite, existed on Via Pievaiola as early as 1337.

Church of San Sisto
This church, whose official denomination is San Sisto del Monte di Lacugnano, depended directly from the cathedral of San Lorenzo in Perugia and is the only church in the entire diocese to bear the name of Sixtus II, Pope from 257 to 258. Sixtus was martyred along with four of his deacons, among whom there was Lorenzo the patron of Perugia. The remains of the Pope were buried in the catacombs of St Callistus, in Rome, where there is still an epigraph dedicated to him. A bell with the inscription “1549 - Ave Maria” still hangs in the bell tower of this small church. A step at the lateral entrance of the church is also from the same period. During restoration works a 1300s fresco depicting the Madonna, St Sixtus and St Catherine of Siena was discovered by chance under a layer of whitewash. The fresco was detached, restored and is now visible in the new parish church built in 1981 near the cemetary. In 1581 the parish of San Sisto was combined with that of San Cristoforo di Lacugnano and only regained its autonomy on June 20th 1970, after four centuries. The Scuola Edile of Perugia restored the old parish church for the celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the parish’s regained autonomy, returning it to its original appearance.

Why San Sisto?
The origins of the name San Sisto are still uncertain, although one can reasonaby reduce the hypotheses to three likely possibilities. 1) The name could be a derivation of the word “sosta” (stop), after the inn where travellers changed horses and rested that stood next to the church. 2) San Sisto could be a derivation of the Latin “sine hoste” (without enemy), after this area’s reputation for safety for travellers before reaching Perugia. A boundary stone opposite the church of Madonna Alta, along Via Pievaiola, bears the inscription “Sansoste” and would appear to confirm this possibility. 3) But the most likely version is that the place took its name from the church dedicated to St Sixtus. At the beginning of the 20th century there were only a few houses in the area that developed considerably in the 1960s when people from the countryside began to move towards the city.

After visiting San Sisto, those in need of sustenance should stop for some fish specialities at the Castello dell’Oca, Via Pievaiola - Perugia. Tel. (+39) 075.52.93.469. Closed Mondays.

© Copyright 2001-2008 by UmbriaOnline.com

Top

 Perugia Perugia
CITIES OF UMBRIA
Acquasparta
Allerona
Alviano
Amelia
Arrone
Assisi
Attigliano
Avigliano Umbro
Baschi
Bastia Umbra
Bettona
Bevagna
Calvi dell'Umbria
Campello sul Clitunno
Cannara
Cascia
Castel Giorgio
Castel Ritaldi
Castel Viscardo
Castiglione del Lago
Cerreto di Spoleto
Citerna
Citta della Pieve
Citta di Castello
Collazzone
Corciano
Costacciaro
Deruta
Fabro
Ferentillo
Ficulle
Foligno
Fossato di Vico
Fratta Todina
Giano dell'Umbria
Giove
Gualdo Cattaneo
Gualdo Tadino
Guardea
Gubbio
Lisciano Niccone
Lugnano in Teverina
Magione
Marsciano
Massa Martana
Monte Castello di Vibio
Monte Santa Maria Tiberina
Montecastrilli
Montecchio
Montefalco
Montefranco
Montegabbione
Monteleone d'Orvieto
Monteleone di Spoleto
Montone
Narni
Nocera Umbra
Norcia
Orvieto
Otricoli
Paciano
Panicale
Parrano
Passignano sul Trasimeno
Penna in Teverina
PERUGIA
Piegaro
Pietralunga
Poggiodomo
Polino
Porano
Preci
San Gemini
San Giustino
San Venanzo
Sant Anatolia di Narco
Scheggia e Pascelupo
Scheggino
Sellano
Sigillo
Spello
Spoleto
Stroncone
TERNI
Todi
Torgiano
Trevi
Tuoro sul Trasimeno
Umbertide
Valfabbrica
Vallo di Nera
Valtopina
Archivio
Handicraft
Bellezza e benessere
Sport
Enogastronomia
Wedding
Vacanze a tema
Parchi e Natura
Itinerari
L'Umbria a 5 stelle
PING

 
PERUGIA News
89 news found, showing the first 5 news
PERUGIA
Appointments & Events
Where to sleep
Bed & Breakfast in Perugia
Castle, Residence and Historical Residence in Perugia
Eurochocolate 2008
Weather Forecast in Perugia
Cooking Course in Perugia
The Berti Oil Press of the Perugia Hills
Useful Numbers
Information: Perugia Città Museo
Italian School for Foreigners
Visit to the Museums of Perugia
Golfing in Perugia
Perugino’s Last Works at Fontignano
San Sisto - An Impregnable Fortress
Civitella d’Arna - At the Centre of the Valley of the Umbrians
St Orfeto - A Mysterious Roman Legionary
Ripa.."dolcissimo ai mortali almo soggiorno"
Typical products
The Route of the Four Bell Towers
Monte Tezio: a Natualist's Paradise
Stepping into Another Dimension at Mugnano
Santa Maria di Cenerente and the Monferrato Marauders
The Fontana Maggiore
The Rocca Paolina
Palazzo dei Priori
Etruscan Burial Grounds in Perugia
Pila: an Archaeologist's Paradise
Embroidery Classes in Perugia
Umbrian Textiles and Embroidery Tour - Giuditta Brozzetti
Umbrian Textiles and Embroidery Tour - Ceccucci Tessuti
Umbrian Textiles and Embroidery Tour - Arte Artigianato
Embroidery and Lacemaking in Umbria
The Carnival of San Sisto
Umbria Jazz

PERUGINO AREA 
Province: Perugia
Area: Perugino (Corciano; Deruta; Perugia; Torgiano;)


comprensorio Perugino

INFORMATION 


FIGURES
Province: Perugia
Area: Perugino (Corciano; Deruta; Perugia; Torgiano;)
Altitude: 493 m s.l.m.
Surface: 444.92 kmq
Population: 156673 (01.01.00; Istat)
Inhabitants name: Perugini
ZIP 06100
Tel. area code: 075

Localities: Bagnaia, Bosco, Capanne, Castel del Piano, Cenerente, Città della Domenica, Civitella Benazzone, Collestrada, Colle Umberto I, Colombella, Ferro di Cavallo, Fontignano, Fratticiola Selvatica, La Bruna, La Cinella, Lacugnano, Olmo, Migiana di Monte Tezio, Montebello, Monte Corneo, Monte Petriolo, Mugnano, Parlesca, Pianello, Piccione, Pila, Pilonico Materno, Poggio delle Corti, Poggio della Pietra, Ponte Felcino, Ponte Pattoli, Ponte Rio, Ponte S. Giovanni, Ponte Valleceppi, Prepo, Pretola, Ramazzano, Rancolfo, Ripa, S. Fortunato della Collina, S. Giovanni del Pantano, San Marco, San Martino in Colle, San Sisto, Santa Lucia, Sant'Egidio, Sant'Enea, Solfagnano, Villa Pitignano, Santa Maria Rossa.

Comune di Perugia
Palazzo dei Priori Tel. 0755771 Fax 0755735300

Province di Perugia
Piazza Italia, 11 Tel. 0755747/1 n. verde 800013474

Some Famous Personalities: Baldo degli Ubaldi (giurista, 1319-1400); Braccio Fortebracci (condottiero, 1368-1424); Fiorenzo di Lorenzo (pittore, 1440-1525); Bernardino di Betto, detto il Pinturicchio (pittore, 1454-1513); Malatesta II Baglioni (condottiero, 1491-1513); Galeazzo Alessi (architetto,1512-1572); Vincenzo Danti (scultore, 1530-1576), Luigi Canali (scenziato, 1759-1814); Annibale Mariotti (medico, 1737-1801); Francesco Morlacchi (musicista, 1784-1841); Orazio Antinori (esploratore, 1811-1882); Luigi Bonazzi (storico, 1811-1879); Ariodante Fabbretti (storico, 1816-1894); Alinda Brunacci Brunamonti (poeta, 1841-1903); Giuseppina Pasqua (cantante, 1882-1982); Gerardo Dottori (pittore, 1884-1977); Aldo Capitini (filosofo, 1899-1969); Sandro Penna (poeta, 1906-1977).




SCG Business Consulting S.a.s. di Giacomelli E. & C. - Internet Advertising Division - © 2001-2008 All Rights Reserved - P.IVA 01675690562