Avigliano Umbro

The territory of Avigliano has been inhabited since prehistoric times, as attested by archaeological discoveries at the Grotta Bella of Santa Restituta. During the Roman era, the settlement was located along the Via Amerina. In the Middle Ages, Avigliano emerged as an important center within the territory known as the Terre Arnolfe. It is mentioned in the regesto of Farfa Abbey. In the 12th century, following the dissolution of the Arnolfi lordship, the territory passed under the dominion of Todi. In 1975 Avigliano Umbro became an independent municipality after separating from Montecastrilli. In the early 1990s a music school founded by Mogol, an Italian lyricist best known for his collaborations with Lucio Battisti, was established in Avigliano. == Geography ==

Avigliano is situated on a high hill and lies about from Montecastrilli, from Amelia, and approximately from both Todi and Narni. Subdivisions The municipality includes the localities of Avigliano Umbro, Dunarobba, Fabbreria, Palombara-Palazzo, Poggio, Rena, Santa Restituta, Sismano, Toscolano. These settlements are generally situated on hills near the Monti Corsini. In 2021, 542 people lived in rural dispersed dwellings not assigned to any named locality. At the time, the most populous locality was Avigliano Umbro proper (1,407). == Religion and culture ==

Santissima Trinità The church of the Santissima Trinità serves as the parish church. It was built in the 17th century as part of the castle of the Vici family. In later centuries the building underwent extensive restoration, during which much of its painted decoration was lost as several walls were whitewashed. Despite these alterations, the church retains a number of artworks. Among them is the Madonna of the Rosary with Saint John the Evangelist, Saint Dominic, Saint Catherine and Saint Cecilia, attributed to Andrea Polinori. Other surviving works include frescoes depicting saints, such as a Saint Anthony Abbot and a Conversion of Saint Paul attributed to Bartolomeo Barbiani. The church also preserves a 14th-century silver and enamel cross, along with additional paintings by Polinori representing the Deposition and Saint Lawrence. The decorative cycle on the front of the edicule depicts, on the left, an angel bearing an announcing scroll, at the centre God the Father represented as a dove, and on the right the Virgin Annunciate holding an open book. The church also preserves numerous ex votos donated following a plague. Other religious buildings Avigliano has the churches of Sant'Angelo, San Giovanni, Sant'Egidio. Fossil forest Near Dunarobba lies the Fossil Forest, a natural site formed approximately 1.5 million years ago and composed of the remains of large sequoias. The area has been the subject of scientific study since its discovery in the late 20th century, and a Centre for Plant Palaeontology was established in the 1990s to support research and illustrate the geological characteristics of the site. Other cultural heritage Within the historic centre of Avigliano, traces of the medieval urban fabric remain visible in the walls, the entrance gate, and a large cylindrical tower surmounted by a public clock. The main gate also preserves a marble eagle, symbol of Todi, recalling the historical disputes between Todi and Amelia over the territory during the Middle Ages. The town also has a characteristic Liberty-style theatre, built in 1928. Santa Restituta rises near an important archaeological area known as Grotta Bella. Excavations there have brought to light numerous statuettes dating to the protohistoric and Roman periods. ==References==