Urbania is a typical charming township of the Marches, 16 km. from Urbino, situated between the Adriatic sea and Tuscany. The town, known during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance as Casteldurante, was a splendid centre of art and culture. Donato Bramante and important artist and ceramic masters of the XVI and XVII centuries were born here. Because of its pleasantness and salubrity it was the country residence of the Dukes of Urbino ("The Castle of Delights"). It has two ducal residences: the Ducal Palace, where Francesco Maria II della Rovere (+ 1631), the last Duke of Urbino, held his court and the Ducal Park, hunting residence of the Dukes of Urbino. Urbania has a rich and glorious musical heritage. Girolamo Crescentini (1762-1864) was born here and the town has an important theatre (The Bramante Theatre) built in 1860. The first opera to be performed here was Verdi's "Il Trovatore". There is also a modern auditorium which seats 500 people. There are two important museums: the Municipal Museum-Picture Gallery (which houses, amongst other things, 700 Renaissance drawings, 1,000 Flemish prints and the famous Mercatore world maps) and the Diocesan Museum, an important library (35,000 volumes, many of which ancient and very rare), the Cathedral (the ancient Benedictine abbey of St.Christopher at the bridge) and numerous churches and palaces of the Renaissance. The historical centre still has the fascination of the golden era of its past history (XIV-XVII centuries), ceramic art shops and a municipal school which keep the renowned tradition of the town alive.

View of Urbania.

Typical example of traditional ceramics from Urbania (Casteldurante).

Ducal Palace, Urbania.

But Urbania is not entombed in its glorious past. Today it is one of the most important centres for the production of jeans, frequented by the best Italian stylists. A modern and ancient town, therefore, very warm and hospitable and made to measure for all tastes.

FESTIVAL VENUES The Centre of Italian Studies is situated in Urbania, where the first courses for international opera singers took place (1987) and where the first edition of the festival was held (June 2000). Due to the great success in 2000, during the 2001 edition of the festival, some of the singers

Urbania, city hall.

Bramante Theater (1860), Urbania.

and instrumentalists will be housed in nearby towns. Therefore certain activities will take place not only in Urbania but also in Sant'Angelo in Vado (11 km. from Urbania) and at Piobbico (13 km. from Urbania). Concerts and other performances will take place in Urbania, Sant'Angelo, Piobbico, Fossombrone, and in other venues.

Urbania, hunting lodge of the Duchy of Urbino.