Todi is a splendid city of art rising on top of a hill from which it dominates the valley below. The town is surrounded by three concentric rings of walls, bearing witness to the expansion achieved by the city during the Umbrian-Roman, Roman, and medieval periods respectively.
Just before entering the heart of the historic center, one encounters the imposing Church of Santa Maria della Consolazione, one of the greatest masterpieces of the Renaissance in Umbria. Construction began in 1508 on a design attributed to Bramante and was completed in 1617 with contributions from renowned architects of the time.
At the heart of the city lies the magnificent Piazza del Popolo, one of the most beautiful squares in Italy, framed by the monumental façades of civic palaces and religious buildings: the Palazzo del Podestà, among the oldest Italian municipal buildings, erected between 1214 and 1228; the Palazzo dei Priori, built between 1334 and 1347 in Gothic style with a square tower; the Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo (late 13th century), featuring a large loggia with a central pillar on the ground floor; and the 12th-century Cathedral, enlarged in subsequent phases during the 13th and 14th centuries, next to which stands the Episcopal Palace.
Another work of remarkable artistic value is the Church of San Fortunato (13th–15th century), located at the top of an imposing staircase and representing an outstanding example of Umbrian Gothic style. Inside are the crypt housing the remains of the friar-poet Jacopone da Todi, and, in a separate chapel, those of the city’s patron saints: Fortunato, Callisto, and Cassiano.
