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Introduction
Shops and Restaurants
History and Sights
Festivals, Celebrations, and Events
Further reading
Introduction
Panicale is a typical mediaeval Umbrian hill top town. Neighbour to the
Tuscany and the Lake Trasimeno's south shore, it boasts 500 inhabitants.
During the summer months, this number inflates to about 800. These occasional
residents, mainly from Rome and Florence, return for the summer holidays
to their hometown, populating houses that have been owned for generations
by their ancestors. Panicale is in fact my father's hometown. The town is
within short driving distance to Perugia (where many of Panicale's residents
are employed), Orvieto, Montepulciano, Assisi, Cortona, Todi, Deruta, Siena
and other well known towns worth visiting. To match these known towns are
even more unknown towns, which regardless of their anonymity have much to
offer in terms of cuisine, art and culture.
Shops and Restuarants
At a one-minute walk from the Panicale apartments (10 minutes if you are
staying in the Casa Tanaquilla),
you will find three grocery stores selling everything from fresh vegetables
to pasta, salami and cheese, a butcher who if he has run out, will make
sausages while you wait, and a bakery, where fresh bread and onion and salvia
pizza may be purchased starting at 6 am. Linda, in her Bottega will cut
your prosciutto by hand (The way it should be sliced), as well as sell you
truffles and fresh mozzarella. A barber will give you a hair cut and a shave,
or if you want to catch up with the latest gossip, drop by the hairdresser.
A tourist information office, a real estate agent, a pottery shop, a drug
store as well as other shops selling odds and ends are all within walking
distance. On Fridays, there is a mini market on the main piazza, and in
the summer months, foreign papers are available at the local Tabacchi (Tobacco)
store.
The post office is open Monday through Saturday and the banks Monday through
Friday. The bank had for over ten years promised to install an ATM machine.
They kept their promise in 1997, as soon as a competing bank opened a local
branch, preceding them with the installation of the first ATM. For some
time, there where two ATMs. People might grumble and complain, but they
tend to change husbands and wives more often than they change banks. ...
So the count is now back to one as the new bank withdrew giving room to
the tourist office. They did keep the ATM, however
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Unfortunately, Burger King can only be reached after
a two hour long drive, and the local Chinese take out (30 km away) went
bankrupt a couple of years ago. One has to rely on mamma Bruna's home-made
pasta followed by an excellent fried guinea fowl in the Da Masolino restaurant.
Attilio's four cheese pasta or his pizza can be tasted in the ristorante
Le Grotte di Boldrino. Lillo Tatini is yet another restaruant in the town
walls, where they will come out and grate the Truffles over your courses.
Oh, and there are two bars providing you with everything from an espresso
or a cappuccino to a beer or an ice cream. If you get on friendly terms
with the locals, they might invite you to one of their private clubs.
History and Sights
Panicale's origin dates back to archaic times. As early as 2000 B.C. Indo-European
herdsmen called Acherni and Italic people lived on the hill. Some 1000 years
later, Etruscan farmers took over and were later joined by the Romans. Historians
believe that the name of the Castle comes from the Latin words Pani calet,
i.e. "to be in the heart of the god Pan", the patron of nature and forests.
The names of the surrounding areas and villages are all of Latin origin.
They include Gioveto, the god Jupiter, Missiano, The messenger of Janus,
and Ceraseto, the place of Ceres. Many more can be counted. In the 9th century
A.D. Panicale was already a Castle, and 500 years later, a constitution
ruled the life of its people. Its defence walls still stand after numerous
wars against Florence, Rome, Perugia, the Vatican State, and other neighbouring
towns in the area.
Between war and peace times, popes and soldiers of fortune all lived or
passed through the Castle on their way to Perugia, Assisi, Florence or Rome.
Some left still visible traces of their more or less friendly visits. Around
the 17th century, dwellings were permanently built inside or leaning on
the walls. As late as 1898, the old moat was filled with gravel leaving
space for gardens and a ring road. The southern part of the ring road is
called Fosso Largo (Wide Moat), while the northern part Fosso Stretto (Narrow
Moat). Parts of the moat were turned to gardens that were leased for 99
year to the owners of the houses. The lease expired in 1997, and to a mistake
of the local council, they forgot to extend it. That meant that the property
of the land automatically went over to the leaseholders. Truth is (Well,
at least rumours have it) that some of the people in the city council responsible
for the renewal of the lease were themselves owners of a house and leasing
the garden, and by forgetting the renewal, they assured themselves of their
garden. On a side note. If you understand a little Italian and want a good
laugh, try to attend one of the council meetings. They are open to the public,
and at times, you can hear the shouts and arguments all the way to the bar!
It is not for the faint of heart.
Back to the history. The village can be entered through two gates: Porta
Fiorentina, used when arriving from Florence, and Porta Perugina used when
arriving from Perugia. There are a total of seven churches. With a population
of 500, not all of them are regularly used. The largest church, San Michele,
is used on Sunday mornings for celebrating mass in Italian, and in the afternoon
for song and prayer. The church contains The Annunciation of the Virgin,
a fresco made by the famous Renaissance painter Tommaso Fini, also known
as Masolino da Panicale (1383 - 1447). He was a friend and possibly a teacher
of Masaccio. When it comes to art, however, Panicale's pride is Pietro Vannucci,
known as Il Perugino (1446 - 1524). His family originated from Panicale,
but moved to the neighbouring town of Citta della Pieve. Il Perugino is
probably best known for being Raphael's teacher. His Martyrdom of San Sebastiano,
which was recently restored, is located in the San Sebastiano church. San
Sebastiano is a small, romantic and extremely beautiful church right outside
the walls. It is today mainly used for weddings. The Sant' Agostino church
has been deconsecrated, restored, and is now a lace museum, showing off
Panicale's lace tradition by day (Popes and Kings have ordered lace from
Panicale). Occasional art shows, concerts, and mute cinema projections take
over by night.
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Panicale's newly restored theatre was originally
built in 1690 by some of the area's most prosperous families. Today, it
hosts concerts and plays from local and travelling ensembles. Panicale's
local theatre group is still going strong, playing both classic and modern
pieces. Attending a concert or a play (Regardless on if you understand Italian)
is a must that will transport you 200 years back in time. Of the 200 seats
in the theatre, only 20 are located under the stage. The rest are in booths
on three levels. Prior to a show, everyone is looking in the other booths,
gossiping, wondering over who is cultivated enough to go to the theatre
and who isn't. And every one is as usual angry over the fact that the mayor
has once again been given the best seats. Of artistic value in the theatre
is the curtain painted in the early 1800's by Pier Vittori. It shows the
Panicale born soldier Boldrino Panieri receiving the keys of Perugia. (The
Boldrino apartment in
his house is available for rent). The San Sebastiano church and the Caporali
theatre are usually locked, but visits can easily be arranged through the
tourist office.
If you think this is it, you are wrong. There is much more to see in the
village. A way around it is to find more in the books and articles have
been written on Panicale. Unfortunately, the only book published in English
(and Swedish!!), is called Panicale, a piece of Italy.
It is a guidebook which takes you into the daily life of Panicale's inhabitants,
exploring the festivities, local politics, wines, cars, food, religion,
customs gossips and other secrets. The book was originally written in Swedish
by my brother, and translated and updated in 1998 to English by my mother.
Both versions are available at the tourist office (My brother is older and
larger than me, so I had to write this. But then again, the book is well
written, and well worth reading, so I am not saying this just to be nice
to him. I warmly recommend it). At the tourist office, you will also find
Luciano Lepri's traditional guidebook on Panicale, and recently deceased
historian Caprini's Pani Calet, a piece of fiction featuring
all of Panicle's famous people, talking about the history of the village.
The latter two are also pleasant reading if you know Italian.
Festivals, celebrations
and events
Religious and cultural festivities are common in Italian rural villages.
In Panicale, they include local religious festivals such as the feast of
San Pellegrino, Panicle's very own saint, or more traditional festivities
such as the Easter procession. Cultural festivals include the wine festival,
held in September. The wine festival takes place right before the harvest
starts, and features food, dance, and a procession where every contrada
in town, under a lot of secrecy (and spying on the other contradas) puts
together an allegoric chariot which is then processed around the town walls.
During the chestnut festival, held every November, you can taste the Mosto,
the grape juice which will eventually be put in barrels to ferment and become
wine together with freshly grilled chestnuts.
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Political events include the Communist Unity feast.
Don't worry! This is yet another opportunity for people visiting in August
to taste great home made food and drink cheap red wine. All sold at a nominal
cost. Bands (rock, blues, jazz, classical) often play for free in the recreation
area, and the village celebrates what once used to be an attempt to gain
votes. Every one is welcome, regardless of political beliefs and backgrounds.
No vodka, smelly fish eggs or military marches will be forced upon you.
Just good spirits and the desire to have fun, with the older generation
giving nostalgic looks at the red flags with the hammer and sickle, a site
you otherwise so rarely see around today.
In the summer months, free concerts are held within the city walls inside
churches and outside on the different squares. They include jazz, classical
and medieval music concerts. It is needless to describe what it feels like
sitting outside in a piazza listening to good music when enjoying a glass
of wine. Especially when the band is using the area around the 15th century
fountain as a stage and the background curtain is a 16th century church
or an illuminated medieval building.
In the winter months, plays and concerts are often held in the theatre and
churches, even if at a lower pace than in the summer. The Pan Kalon association,
a local association run by locals aiming at maintaining the historical roots
and beauty of Panicale, helped raise funds for the restoration of the Organ
in the San Michele church. They often organise concerts there. Should nothing
be happening in Panicale, look around and ask. The chance that it is in
one of the neighbouring villages is large.
Here, I could go on. The rest, however I will leave to you to explore on
location. The streets, churches and buildings are filled with details of
the people, famous and unknown, which at one time or another lived or visited
the village. The surrounding areas offer everything from historical sites,
beautiful landscapes, and outdoor activities. Festivals often take place,
and in-between them, peace and quiet take over. A peace and quiet which
can not be described, and thus has to be experienced.
In Panicale, we have a wide selection of properties available for short
and long term rentals. They range from one to two bedroom apartments in
the town center to rustic farmhouses just outside town. All properties are
owned by friends of ours, so we know they will take great care of you, giving
you a warm Umbrian welcome and making your stay special.
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