Medieval and Oratory Itinerary

The second stop on the itinerary is right next to the Oratory of St. John the Baptist: another beautiful portal introduces us to the Oratory of St. Joseph. Here, you will be enraptured by the beauty of the treasures housed inside: the statue of the saint towers over the high altar by Giuseppe Lirioni, surrounded by fine decorative frescoes. But it is in the Nativity Chapel that one finds oneself catapulted into a grotto. It is Federico Brandani's Mannerist work with an imposing presence: a life-size stucco nativity scene that creates the effect of a cave carved into the rock. While the Chapel of the Wedding features stucco work by Urbino plasticist Francesco Antonio Rondelli, loaded with symbols traceable to a legend from the apocryphal gospels.

Oratory of the Five Wounds

Walking back and returning to the initial stretch of Via Barocci, you will encounter the Oratory of the Five W ounds. This is a rare gem, the only example of the Baroque-Rococo style in all of Urbino. The construction of the structure dates back to 1643, but its small entrance portal is 18th-century. Inside, the wide vaults are set in a sober architecture. The whole is enriched by a dozen gilded frames containing Scenes from the Passion of Christ painted by Urbino artists in the Baroque tradition. Once back outside, only a few steps separate us from the entrance to Via Raffaello.

The time has come to admire the Convent of St. Francis, one of the first buildings to welcome visitors once they reach the center. It is impossible not to be enraptured by its austere grandeur: after all, the church is considered the "pantheon" of the Urbino people since illustrious citizens such as Giovanni Santi and Magia Ciarla, parents of Raphael Sanzio, and the painter Federico Barocci are buried there. Inside, you will find masterpieces of religious art bearing the illustrious signatures of Barocci, to wit, Giuseppe Passeri and Ercole Procaccini. A memorial that pays tribute to those who wrote the history of Urbino.

Porfiri House - Gothic Portal

Almost a treasure hunt: in search of Urbino's 14th century

Having reached this point, one can continue the exploration of the center in search of other details more humble than the beautiful oratories, but ancient and witness to the mastery of the local stonemasons. It is almost a treasure hunt, for these are elements that might go unnoticed by the distracted stroller, but which will be able to reveal themselves to the attentive eyes of detail lovers. These are the Gothic Portals, the only vestiges of Urbino's 14th century. There are four of them, and they are located at various points in the city. Taking Via dei Fornari, you will catch sight of one at Casa Porfiri, from the nearby lower courtyard of Palazzo Bonaventura - Odasi. Continuing your exploration through Via Santa Chiara you will see another one at the Oratorio della Croce; and finally at the ancient Palazzo dei Montefeltro on Via Saffi, now a university campus.