Do not expect glamour but old fashioned charm... the village of San Gemini is welcoming and friendly, not many fancy shops but friendly faces and a very relaxed pace of life... well hidden secrets such as freshly made pasta and superb pizza by the slice, not to mention the local bars where you can vary from cappuccino in the morning to prosecco for aperitivo and finally grappa to call it a day!
Beautiful churches, palazzos and different monuments where young architects of the future experiment restoration as a summer job... a year long season, not just the summer villa concept if you come to San Gemini!
Two mid season highlights...
INFIORATA for Corpus Domini in June, when the people of San Gemini spends the whole night preparing the most beautiful street pictures made of dried flowers, in a friendly competition spirit that makes it a very special moment...
GIOSTRA dell'ARME in late September, early October, when town magically turns back to medieval magic with taverns, tiny stores, processions and exhibitions of archers, drummers and flag throwers, until the final day of LA GIOSTRA when the two sides of ROCCA and PIAZZA go against each other in a very colorful joust.
What to see
Learn more...
Overview
The small town as a whole is a sort of medieval castle, erected near an ancient Roman site: the narrow streets converge towards the main axis, which in reality is the old consular road "Flaminia", and stretches from the "Roman Gate" to the "Northern (or St. John) Gate".
There was an original pre-roman village - later on called Casventum by the Romans - which, according to tradition, was called San Gemini after a Syrian monk. In fact, in the IX century, a monk, called Gemine, arrived in the country, and decided to settle in Casventum, where he preached, teached and helped the poor so that, after a while, the villagers in the neighbourhood started calling the site: "the town of Saint Gemine" (Civitas Sancti Gemini).
The little town had always been well situated on the North/South way to Rome. In Middle Ages, it was granted the status of "free town": there ensued a long period of importance as military, religious, artistic, and cultural center in Southern Umbria ("Castrum bonum et forte").
When Rome was ravaged and sacked by the mercenary troops in 1527, San Gemini too was pillaged, burned down, ruined to the point of decline.
It was only years later, when the noble families of Orsini and Santacroce renewed their interest in the little town, that many buildings were restored. The Santacroce family, for instance, had the old Roman Gate rebuilt in the baroque style, together with their own mansion.
Folklore
Every Spring, on occasion of Corpus Christi, the streets are decorated with flowers arranged in beautifuil patterns; the old abbey of St. Nicolo' (1304) and St. Gemine (the present Cathedral); the old VIII century Baptistry (today St. John's Church), St. Francis' Church (XIII century) and the XIV century People's Captain's House. St. Francis' Square is the largest in the town, and is dominated by Palazzo Santi Terzi, where the artist Canova spent long periods of his life. The main street, Via Casventino, starts from this square and traverses the whole town reaching Porta S. Giovanni. The many historical buildings, such as the Chapel of "Santa Maria de Incertis" and the former Churches of St. Mary Magdalen and St. Stephen, as well as towers, tower-houses, flights of steps, arches, ramparts, etc. build up the image of the ancient town, a rare jewel the traveller discovers little by little, wandering along the cobbled streets.
