Urbino

Urbino is a Renaissance hilltop city in the Le Marche region of central Italy, rising on a double-peaked hill above the surrounding valleys at 485 metres, and one of the most completely preserved Renaissance urban environments in the world — designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. The city was the seat of the Montefeltro duchy under Federico da Montefeltro, one of the most celebrated Renaissance princes, who transformed a military stronghold into a court that attracted artists, humanists, and architects from across Italy in the 15th century. The Palazzo Ducale, Federico's principal building project begun in 1465, occupies a large portion of the historic centre and is arguably the most complete example of Renaissance palatial architecture in Italy: the twin towers of the west facade dominate the city's profile, while the interior courtyard — designed by Luciano Laurana — is a textbook example of Renaissance harmonic proportion. The palace now houses the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche, whose collection includes Piero della Francesca's Flagellation of Christ (the most discussed small painting in the history of Italian art) and the double Portrait of Federico da Montefeltro and Battista Sforza by the same artist. Raphael Sanzio was born in Urbino in 1483 — the Casa di Raffaello on Via Raffaello is preserved as a small museum containing his early works and the room where he was born. The city's university, founded in 1506 and still active, gives the streets a lively student atmosphere that distinguishes Urbino from more purely touristic Renaissance towns.