Perugia is a historic city that flourished in the late Middle Ages. It is from these times that its greatest monuments come from, including the Basilica of San Domingo and the Cathedral of St. Wawrzyńca with unusual architecture for a church.
The city was founded in Etruscan times. One of its gates, the Etruscan Gate, also known as the Arch of Augustus, comes from this period. However, the most important monuments of the city are much later and are related to Perugia's relationship with the Papal State. The conclave was held several times in the city, and as many as four popes are buried in the cathedral.
Life in the Old Town revolves around Piazza IV Novembre, which is the biggest attraction in Perugia. It is located on the site of the former Roman forum. The gothic cathedral of St. Lawrence, which does not resemble a church at all. it is a rectangular structure with a flat roof, an attic and two rows of windows looking as if they were on the floors of a residential building. The square is adorned with the beautiful Fontana Maggiore.
The streets of the historic part of Perugia are full of well-preserved tenement houses and churches. There are over a dozen of them here and they come mainly from the late Middle Ages or the Baroque period. You cannot miss the local museums, including the National Museum of Archeology of Umbria.
