SPELLO

spello enjoys the best preserved roman monuments of all of the umbrian hill towns, but is built along the side of the hill rather than at its summit.

Here is one of the old roman gates, now called the porta urbica.

here is another roman gate, the porta consolare.

along the side of this gate was built a medieval tower, making it into a fortress. the clock is a modern addition.

yet another roman gate, the porta venere.

in between the gates, the narrow, twisting, and climbing streets so typical of umbria.

and from the northern edge of the town, one can easily see across to the next hill town, in this case, assisi. between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries, these towns all competed to dominate their region, especially the agricultural areas between the hilltops, necessary for the feeding of the towns.