Cathedral in the Clouds

The Duomo of Orvieto

We rose early on a January morning to catch the bus for Termini, Rome’s primary train station. Two hours on the train brought us to a lovely region of farms and red-orange villas, a far cry from the cluttered bustle of Rome. The train station sat in a valley surrounded by mountains, at the base of a large table butte, topped by ancient defensive walls. A funicular car carried us to the top, where we entered a world of swirling fog, cobblestone streets, and brick walls.

From a lookout point in the castle wall, now a public park, we sampled the famous local white wine while Miss O’Connor, our trip organizer and guide, gave us instructions for exploring the city. Then she lead us through winding streets, lined with shops selling brightly colored local ceramics. Suddenly, a piazza opened before us and we saw the gem of this tiny town - a spectacular Gothic Cathedral from 1290.

The facade of this cathedral is so wonderful, it could occupy hours of observation. I have detailed this part of my visit in an earlier post, so I won’t bore you with a repeated description.

Once inside, the expanse of soaring stone lifted my eyes to the lovely rose window, situated above the entrance to the church. Statues of the twelve apostles lined the central nave and crumbling medieval frescoes of biblical scenes and ancient saints lined the moist walls. Soft light filtered through the massive, pointed stained glass windows above the high altar. On either side of the apse, there are two famous side chapels. On the right is a chapel depicting the Apocalypse, Last Judgement, and Heaven. The walls and ceiling were painted by Benozzo Gozzoli, Luca Signorelli, and, my favorite, Fra Angelico. It was wonderful to see one of his large frescoes in person for the first time! This one is a glorious image of Christ enthroned in Heaven.

The left hand chapel celebrates a miracle that occurred in nearby Bolsena in the year 1263 during the celebration of the Eucharist. The evidence of the miracle was immediately taken to Orvieto which was a seasonal residence of the popes, so that the current pope, Urban the IV, could inspect it. This miracle inspired the people of Orvieto to build such a massive cathedral in their tiny town. The frescoes in this room tell the story of the miracle, the papal involvement in recognizing it, and culminate in lovely depictions of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ at the front of the chapel. These Medieval images of Christ really touched me as they point to the hinge points of history which every celebration of the Eucharist announces: “Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!”

Eventually the deep chill of the stone cathedral drove me out of doors again. Wandering along the quiet cobbled streets, I found a belvedere or overlook from a park set into the the town wall. Wisps of cloud and fog drifted across the valley far below, adding to the romance of the scene. A large castle-like structure below attracted my attention; I later discovered that it is a monastery. Beyond the monastery stretched fields and vineyards, forests and groves, dotted with charming farm houses, their red-tile roofs adding pops of color to the dark greens and browns of the land.

Cold and hungry, I went in search of a good lunch. One of the foods which Orvieto boasts is cinghale or wild boar! I found a cute little restaurant where my friend Mary Ingrid and I shared a delightful lunch of wine and wild boar. I had a goulash with large chunks of the gamy, tender meat, accompanied by slices of the smoothest polenta I’ve ever had. It was really delightful with a glass of red wine on the side!

Back in the streets, I spent the rest of the day exploring artisan shops where the local ceramics with their bright colors begged to come home with me. I purchased a few items for gifts as well as one of the black truffles harvested from a nearby forest. I admired a variety of leather products, woodcarving items, and lovely hand-marbled stationary. I also exchanged words with a large tabby cat who I found lounging in a small alley!

Too soon, it was time to return to Rome. Orvieto is a real treasure and I will never forget my day at this tiny town in the clouds!