Castiglione del Lago
| Castiglione del Lago | ||
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| Comune | ||
| Comune di Castiglione del Lago | ||
Old town of Castiglione del Lago
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 Castiglione del Lago
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| Coordinates: 43°08′19″N 12°02′52″E / 43.13861°N 12.04778°ECoordinates: 43°08′19″N 12°02′52″E / 43.13861°N 12.04778°E | ||
| Country | Italy | |
| Region | Umbria | |
| Province / Metropolitan city | Perugia | |
| Frazioni | Badia, Casamaggiore, Gioiella, Macchie, Panicarola, Petrignano, Piana, Porto, Pozzuolo, Pucciarelli, San Fatucchio, Vaiano, Villastrada, Banditella, Binami, Bracacci, Caioncola, Cantagallina, Carraia, Ceraso, Cimbano, Cozzano, Frattavecchia, I Bertoni, I Bologni, I Castagni, I Cuffi-Marchetti, I Giorgi, I Guidonami, I Lopi, I Nonni, I Poggi, Laviano, Mecucciami, Muffa, Mugnanesi, Nardelli, Palazzetta, Pescia, Pineta, Poggetto, Ranciano, Rigutini, Vitellino | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Sergio Batino | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 205 km2 (79 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 304 m (997 ft) | |
| Population (2007) | ||
| • Total | 15,070 | |
| • Density | 74/km2 (190/sq mi) | |
| Demonym(s) | Castiglionesi | |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | |
| Postal code | 06061 | |
| Dialing code | 075 | |
| Patron saint | Mary Magdalene | |
| Saint day | July 22 | |
| Website | Official website | |
Castiglione del Lago is a town in the Province of Perugia of Umbria (central Italy), on the southwest corner of Lake Trasimeno. Orvieto is 59 km (37 mi) south, Chiusi is 21 km (13 mi) to the south west, Arezzo is 56 km (35 mi) to the north west, Cortona is 21 km (13 mi) to the north and Perugia is 47 km (29 mi) to the south east.
Castiglione del Lago has evolved on what used to be an island - the fourth island of Lake Trasimeno, in its south west region. Over the centuries, as the town grew, the flat gap between the island and the shore was filled with piazze, houses, churches and other buildings.
The newest parts of the city are at some distance from the old, so the centro storico (historical center) of Castiglione del Lago is a well-preserved medieval locality that seems to be governed by a "law of threes". In the town walls there are three gates, and inside the town there are three piazze and three churches.
Castiglione lies on the once important highway between Orvieto to the south, Chiusi to the west, and Arezzo to the north. Its position in this hotly disputed territory, pitting Etruscans against Romans, and later Tuscans against Perugians, inevitably brought a long cycle of death and destruction to the town. The original fortifications were destroyed and rebuilt on numerous occasions.
It was only during and following the reign of Emperor Frederick II (early 13th century) that a period of relative stability ensued.
Later the city fell under the control of Perugia, within the Papal States, becoming the fiefdom of the powerful Baglioni family. In 1550, Pope Julius III bestowed it upon his sister. In 1563, her son, Ascanio della Corgna, became the Marquis of Castiglione and Chiusi. The fiefdom became a prosperous, but short-lived Duchy in 1617. The last Duke Fulvio Alessandro (1617-1647) died without heirs and the town was re-absorbed into the Papal States.
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Wikipedia