Todi

Todi was founded by the Umbri, in the 8th-7th century BC, with the name of Tutere. The name means "border", the city being located on the frontier with the Etruscan dominions. == History ==

Mythical founding Todi has a legendary foundation sometimes placed as early as 2707 BC and linked to a Veii-Umbri tribe. According to one foundation legend, the first furrow was traced under the guidance of an eagle, in the area behind what is now the cathedral district. Another tradition connects the town's early development to environmental change: after the Tiber broke through the Forello gorges and the marshy valley drained, settlement is said to have expanded. Antiquity Todi, ancient Tuder (Greek Τοῦδερ), was one of the most important Umbrian cities and minted its own coinage bearing the ancient name Tutere. Its name does not appear before the Roman conquest. Todi was enrolled in the Clustumina tribe. The first city walls are dated to the 2nd–1st century BC. In the late Roman period a second ring of walls was built. Early Middle Ages The elevated position of Todi made it a strong and important place during the Gothic War and after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. During the barbarian invasions it shared the fate of other Italian cities, although chronicles relate that it was spared slaughter and fire through the care and zeal of Saint Fortunatus, bishop of the city. This event is commemorated annually on 30 June with mention in the liturgical offices. In 552 Narses won a victory near Todi against the Goths, and Totila lost his life there. In 590 the exarch of Ravenna, Romanus, occupied the city along with other places in the Duchy of Rome; it then passed to the Lombards and was repeatedly contested among their dukes. Todi was sacked by the Lombards, although it avoided full-scale devastation. Christianity was spread through Saint Terentian. Over time the bishop's authority came to be recognized, and diocesan boundaries are described as following earlier Roman civic structures. After the excommunication of Leo III the Isaurian in 726, Pope Gregory II brought the Duchy of Rome, including Todi, under the authority of the Church. Disputes arose between Desiderius, king of the Lombards, and Pope Paul I over the boundaries of the territory of Todi, and these were settled in 757 with a formal act preserved in the local archive. In 773, at the request of Pope Adrian I, Charlemagne defeated Desiderius and ended the Lombard kingdom, confirming and enlarging the temporal power of the Church. Louis I confirmed to Pope Paschal I in 817 the dominion over Rome, its duchy, and other territories including Todi. In 1002 Pope Sylvester II and Emperor Otto III were in Todi, where they celebrated Christmas; the following day a council of Italian and German bishops was held to resolve a dispute concerning Thangmar and the bishop of Hildesheim. High Middle Ages In the 11th century Todi established a free commune with two consuls responsible for administration and justice. In 1054, during war between Perugia and Assisi, Todi and Foligno supported Assisi, which had placed itself under imperial authority. Violent conflicts followed. Two years later the Assisians, Todians, and Folignates marched against Orvieto over territorial disputes near a mountain; the Orvietans, with strong forces, advanced toward Marsciano, then held by the counts of Burgundy, and with the aid of Perugia entered Todi, devastating it by fire and sword before withdrawing. Toward the end of the 11th century Todi was under the rule of the countess Matilda. In the 12th century it was torn, like other Italian cities, by the factions of Guelphs and Ghibellines. Among the notable families identified are the Atti family, associated with the Guelph side, and the Chiaravalle family, associated with the Ghibellines. Frederick I and Henry VI occupied the Duchy of Spoleto and the county of Assisi and took possession of Todi. In 1198 Innocent III recovered these territories, personally visited Todi, confirmed his authority, received oaths from the barons, and consecrated altars in churches. In 1204 Todi appointed its first podestà, Spagliagrano da Bologna, who was required to be an outsider; the podestà held judicial authority. Administrative power was attributed to decurions, and from 1250 a people's captain operated alongside the podestà. The municipal system included ten priors, a general council, a secret council, auditors, and two district heads. In 1208 Amelia and in 1224 Terni submitted to Todi, paying annual tribute. Todi also subjected Giove in 1220, Messenano in 1234, and Firenzola in 1256. In the mid-13th century a third ring of walls was built. From 1237 Todi belonged to a league of Guelph Umbrian cities, aligned more closely with Perugia, and it resisted Frederick II. In 1264 Urban IV was received there returning from Orvieto, where he had instituted the feast of Corpus Christi. In 1266 the Guelphs of Perugia fought against Todi and Amelia, ravaging their territory. In 1268 Todi was ruled by Ugolino of the counts of Baschi, a powerful lord possessing numerous fiefs. In 1292 it subjected Giano. Boniface VIII increased the wealth of the churches of Todi, especially enlarging the capitular revenues, and granted honors and privileges to the city. Late Middle Ages In 1311, during the absence of the pope from Italy, Todi reorganized its militia, fixing it at 10,000 cavalry and 3,000 infantry, and built fortifications and strongholds throughout its territory. Ugolino was succeeded by Bindo, leader of the Ghibelline faction, who in 1313 received envoys from Henry VII seeking military aid. Todi also provided assistance to several neighboring cities. In 1323 Todi, besieged by Vico dei Prefetti, was aided by Uguccione Ricci, gonfaloniere of Florence. In 1319 Orazio di Egidio Astancolli held power but soon relinquished it due to rivalries. In 1328 the antipope Nicholas V took refuge in Todi and, joined by Louis of Bavaria who had elevated him, despoiled the church of San Fortunato of its treasures before departing for Pisa. Under John XXII, Todi occupied Orvieto and made it tributary; the pope placed the city under interdict from Avignon. Innocent VI later absolved it after it renounced control of Orvieto, restoring its privileges. During the period of Cola di Rienzo, Todi received a banner from Rome and sent an embassy in thanks. In 1327 the municipality lost its autonomy, coming under direct Church rule through agreements associated with Cardinal Albornoz. The local Monte di Pietà was founded in 1351. Urban V sought to restore papal authority, including over Todi, which resisted but ultimately submitted while retaining exemptions and privileges. Under Gregory XI, Todi joined revolts and supported the antipope Clement VII before returning to obedience in 1387. In 1392 Boniface IX granted Todi to Malatesta of Rimini for ten years at an annual tribute. After rebellion, the grant passed to Andrea Malatesta, though unrest led to his withdrawal. In 1416 Braccio Fortebracci entered Todi, received its submission, and reinstated exiles, causing concern in Perugia. Peace followed the election of Martin V in 1417. In 1428 Perugians and Todians were reconciled. In 1432 Eugene IV granted Todi to Francesco Sforza with conditions; Sforza later seized territories of the Church. In 1433 he invaded Todi and neighboring cities. He was recognized as vicar general, and Todi secured confirmation of its laws and statutes. Subsequent conflicts led to its occupation by Niccolò Piccinino, and in 1444 Sforza recovered it. Todi hosted Pope Nicholas V in 1449 during a plague in Rome and Pope Pius II in 1459 for about a month. Emperor Frederick III, returning from Rome, was honored by an embassy from Todi and granted the city the right to adorn its coat of arms with the imperial crown. Paul II rebuilt the fortress. In 1474 internal conflicts between factions led to violence and destruction. Intervention by Perugia and papal forces followed. Further factional struggles occurred in 1488 and afterward, with devastation of the countryside and severe reprisals. Early Modern and contemporary period , 1704 A plague in the 16th century killed more than two thirds of the population. A period of prosperity is placed between 1566 and 1606 under Bishop Angelo Cesi. During the pontificates of Urban VIII and Innocent X it remained loyal to Rome despite wider conflicts. In the 17th century the town entered a phase of decline, attributed to plagues, wars, and famines, with a marked drop in population. In 1809, during the Napoleonic period, the Papal States were annexed to the Napoleonic Empire and the Trasimeno Department was created; Todi received district-seat status together with Spoleto, Perugia, and Foligno. In 1814 Papal administration was restored. From 1860 Todi joined the Kingdom of Sardinia and subsequently the Kingdom of Italy. In the mid-19th century, Todi had a population of 14,263: 4,606 within the city and 9,657 in 36 frazioni and rural dwellings. == Geography ==

Todi stands on a high hill at an elevation of above sea level, on the left bank of the Tiber, about from Perugia and from Spoleto. In 2021, 3,878 people lived in rural dispersed dwellings not assigned to any named locality. At the time, the most populous localities were Todi proper (5,159), and Ponterio-Pian di Porto (1,755). == Economy ==

In the mid-19th century, the economy of Todi was based on agriculture, livestock breeding, and related trade. The surrounding territory was fertile, producing oil, wine, and fruit. In the plains, flax and hemp were successfully cultivated, and wheat, maize, and other grains were sown. The territory also contained quarries of travertine, yellowish tuff, pozzolana, and, according to some, silver, although no certain information confirmed the latter. Clay suitable for ceramic work was of good quality. Livestock breeding was highly developed and formed an important trade. The territory was half cultivated with vines and olives and half pasture and woodland with oak and timber trees. Poplar and alder were transported to Rome along the Tiber. Lignite deposits had been discovered, especially near Acquasanta. Notable quarries were located near Cacciano and Pantalla. The territory also contained so-called eagle stones. Todi had textile production of very fine linen cloths and white fabrics, with about 1,700 pieces placed on the market annually, in addition to large quantities of household cloth, woven goods, cords, and mixed wool textiles. There were two factories producing small pasta and one for pyrotechnics. The city formerly had a mint and produced coinage. == Religion ==

Cathedral in the sloping Piazza del Popolo The cathedral of Todi was begun in the 12th century, continued in the 13th century and completed in the 14th century. The building has a Greek-cross plan with four apses, three polygonal and one, on the north side, semicircular. Each apse is articulated by two orders of Corinthian pilasters, above which are windows made to a design by in 1587. At the crossing, a dome rises over four corner piers with pendentives and arches decorated in relief. The church is entered through three portals: the east portal is Baroque and dates to the 17th century, the south portal to 1713, and the west portal was designed by Luigi Poletti in 1846. The exterior has a double order of lesenes and Corinthian capitals at the corners, linked by bases and projecting cornices. The upper order is marked by alternating windows with triangular and curved pediments. Inside, the architectural elements dividing the space are made of light-colored stone. Four large eagles bearing the insignia of the municipality stand between the apses. These were executed by Antonio Rossignolo between 1601 and 1604. Other architectural elements were carried out by Ambrogio da Milano, Francesco da Vita, and Filippo de Salvi. The church was built to house a Marian icon to which the population of Todi attributed numerous graces; it is still preserved in the Baroque altar of the north apse. The building was constructed with stone taken both from the demolition of the fortress and from the travertine quarries of Titignano. It was carried out on a project attributed to Bramante, although the attribution remains under study despite 16th- and 17th-century documents naming him as the designer. Work began on 15 November 1508 on the site of a pre-existing 15th-century chapel and lasted a century, concluding in 1607. Construction was directed by until 1512, followed by various master builders, architects and sculptors. During the work, consultation was sought from Baldassarre Peruzzi, Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, Galeazzo Alessi, Vignola and Ippolito Scalza. Interior decoration involved Filippo Meli for the archivolts, Giovan Battista Gardona da Ligornetto and for the pendentives, and Andrea Polinori, who designed the high altar executed by the sculptor Angelo Pieri in 1612. A sacristy was added on the north side in 1613 and demolished in 1862. San Francesco The church of San Francesco contains paintings including an Immaculate Conception with Saint Clare and Saint Teresa by Valeri, and in the apse a Marriage of the Virgin by Agresti. Another altar has a Saint Francis by Valeri. The convent choir dates to the late 15th century. The altar is decorated with a triptych of the Virgin and saints with scenes from her life. In the refectory is a large fresco of the Last Supper by Polinori dated 1592, along with figures of saints. The so-called Scala Santa is also decorated with scenes of the Passion by the same artist. The church preserves the body of Saint Cassian, second bishop of Todi, martyred in 304 under Diocletian, and that of Saint Fruttuoso, martyred in 528. San Nicolò The church of San Nicolò was built in the 14th century, of which the façade with its entrance and circular window remains. Later restorations in the 18th century altered the rest. The apse fresco belongs to the school of Polinori. The site previously held an older 13th-century church dedicated to the same saint. Notable works include a painting of the Virgin receiving the marriage ring from a Perugian school, a Crucifix with Mary and Saint John from a 15th-century Foligno school, damaged frescoes by Giovanni Spagna, and a signed oil painting dated 1640 by Bartolomeo Barbiani. Santa Maria in Camuccia The church of Santa Maria in Camuccia dates to the 13th century, though only the north and west sides retain the original character. Its crypt, reworked in the 14th century, is entirely decorated with 15th-century frescoes of Sienese school depicting scenes including the Virgin and Child, Saint Joseph, the Crucifixion, Saint Catherine, the Annunciation, the Coronation of the Virgin, and other subjects. Monte Santo The church of Monte Santo formerly housed a notable painting by Lo Spagna. It contains a 16th-century wooden carving of Christ, the Virgin, Saint John, and angels, a Nativity fresco attributed to Domenico Alfani, and an apse fresco of Foligno school. Sant'Antonio The church of Sant'Antonio has a vaulted ceiling covered with frescoes depicting God the Father, angels, and saints. On the entrance wall are allegorical figures of Charity and Prosperity, and above the high altar is a painting of the Stories of Saint Anthony. These works were executed between 1632 and 1657 by Poliziano and his school. Convent of the Santissima Annunziata The convent of the Santissima Annunziata contains frescoes in the refectory and adjoining rooms by Barbiani and his school, depicting the Nativity, the Annunciation, Saint Francis, Saint Helena, Saint Fortunatus, Saint Francis of Paola, Saint Barbara, and other saints. The chapel of the Madonna has a large fresco attributed to Alunno or one of his pupils. Other religious buildings The church of the Servants of Mary contains at its high altar a colossal white marble statue of Saint Philip Benizi by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The saint is preserved in a silver urn. The church of San Filippo reflects early 16th-century architecture and has a single nave. The statue of Saint Philip on the high altar is generally attributed to Bernini. The church of Santissimo Crocifisso was built in 1523 and displays richly ornamented architecture. The church of the Reformed Franciscans contains a notable painting by Lo Spagna on the high altar and a fresco attributed to Perugino. The church of San Benedetto preserves a fine 15th-century sculpted statue of Saint Benedict. The church of Santa Margherita contains an Annunciation at the high altar recalling the style of Sassoferrato. The convent refectory once had extensive frescoes, largely lost, including a Last Supper dated 1587. The church of San Silvestro, also known as Santa Maria del Carmine, contains signed works by Polinori and by Poliziano. The church of Sant'Ilario has a façade reflecting Gothic style. San Carlo is a small Romanesque and Gothic-style church on Viale San Carlo. San Giuseppe dei Falegnami is a small Baroque-style, Roman Catholic church from 1612. == Culture ==

Piazza del Popolo Piazza del Popolo occupies the highest point of Todi, on the summit of Colle Nidoli at above sea level. It was the area of the Roman forum and became the center of the medieval and modern city. Around it stand the principal buildings of civic and religious authority: Palazzo del Popolo, Palazzo del Capitano, Palazzo dei Priori, and at the opposite end the cathedral of the Santissima Annunziata. == Archeology ==

Roman forum The forum of Todi covered a larger area than the present square, extending beneath the current Cathedral, westward under the buildings facing the communal palaces, and south toward the area now occupied by the Palazzo dei Priori. This extent is shown by the preserved travertine paving. The forum underwent several phases of rebuilding, visible in differences in the paving. Beneath the surface lay a system of water storage structures. These consisted of two parallel blocks of underground chambers cut into the clay subsoil, where rainwater was collected and stored for daily use. Part of the eastern group remains accessible through a later opening, when one chamber was reused as a cellar. The forum also hosted political activity. A series of small pits used in voting procedures has been identified, along with concrete bases that likely supported statues in the square. The area still functions as the main center of the city, marked by major public buildings such as the communal palaces, the Palazzo dei Priori, and the Cathedral. Cisterns The cistern system of Todi formed part of the infrastructure beneath the forum. It consisted of underground chambers designed to collect and store rainwater. These chambers were cut into the clay layers of the subsoil and arranged in parallel blocks. They provided a reliable water supply for daily use. Some parts of the system remained in use in later periods, when individual chambers were adapted for domestic functions such as storage. City walls The ancient fortifications of the Umbrian-Etruscan city remain visible at the summit, constructed of large travertine blocks. Additional remains include travertine columns discovered around 1860 in the cellar of the Cocchi house, with adjoining structures resting upon stretches of the Etruscan walls. An arch along the street from Borgo Ulpiano to the main square incorporates materials from earlier Etruscan constructions. The city walls and supporting structures of Todi were shaped by the unstable nature of the hill on which the city stands. The subsoil, prone to water saturation, caused landslides and structural damage over time. Roman engineers addressed these problems by building a network of drainage tunnels to remove excess water. They also constructed large retaining structures to stabilize the slopes and prevent collapse. These works are still visible along the sides of the hill. Examples include the large bastion above the Fosso delle Lucrezie on the north side and the structure forming the base of the complex of San Fortunato to the south. Nicchioni The Nicchioni is a large retaining structure on the southern slope of the hill, built to support the upper part of the city. Its position made it visible from the roads in the valley below and gave it a prominent role in the landscape. The structure includes a series of niches, which led earlier interpretations to identify it as part of a temple of Mars. Later study has shown that it is a massive foundation structure. The Nicchioni is more than deep and built in concrete, with an outer facing of travertine slabs and blocks. Above the niches ran a decorative band with metopes and triglyphs, and above that a parapet belonging to an upper terrace or square. Inside the structure are a drainage tunnel and a cistern used for water collection. One of the niches contained a black and white mosaic with marine motifs, likely part of a nymphaeum attached to the structure. Amphitheater The amphitheater of Todi belongs to the urban expansion of the Augustan period. It was built outside the city walls, following a common pattern in Roman Italy. Its location reflects both the lack of space within the older city and the need to allow access to people from the surrounding countryside and nearby settlements. Only limited remains survive, but they are enough to establish its size. Nearby, along the adjacent road, there are sections of wall with niches built in concrete and faced with travertine. These formed part of the structures supporting the ground below the amphitheater. Parts of the amphitheater are still visible within the church of San Nicolò de Cryptis, built inside the arena, and in nearby houses, where sections of corridors and walls have been preserved. Other archeological heritage Roman remains include parts of a theatre identified in Via Cesia beneath the Gentili house. Traces of baths with mosaic floors survive in Via del Colle and beneath Palazzo Cicchitelli. Numerous Roman inscriptions have been discovered in Todi and its surroundings. Etruscan objects from local necropolises are of notable importance, including the Mars of Todi, a bronze statue of Mars now in the and a richly furnished tomb of a priestess discovered in 1886 in the locality of Peschiera, later placed in the National Etruscan Museum in Rome. Along the so-called Via delle Rovine are Etruscan constructions; on the nearby hill of Montesanto are remains of a temple of Mars, and elsewhere are amphitheatres, theatres, baths, aqueducts, and mosaics. Two Roman bridges of travertine, built of large blocks without mortar and each with a single arch, cross local torrents. ==Sports==

A.S.D. Todi Calcio Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica Todi Calcio is an Italian association football club, based in the city. Todi currently plays in Serie D group E. == Notable people ==

Todi is the birthplace of several notable figures, including Fra Jacopone da Todi, associated with the hymn Stabat Mater; Pope Martin I; the cardinals Raniero di Castelvecchio, Matthew of Aquasparta, Azzone, Teodino, and Francesco of the Atti family; Antonio Montemarte, distinguished in war against the Turks; Arminio Cori, who served France, the Church, and Venice; Fra Raniero, a 15th-century Dominican mathematician; Massarello da Todi of the counts of Coldimezzo; Angelo da Todi; the sculptor Pietro da Todi; and the priest Giuliano, skilled in stained glass. ==References==