Many of us go on holidays in order to ensure our sanity remains in tact. However, if you feel rather confident about the state of your mental health, Gubbio has a unique and interesting attraction that will allow show this fact off to your party.
Gubbio is a charming, small medieval city in central Italy with ancient origins and a beautiful historic centre. In this centre there are a number of lovely town squares, impressive palaces and pretty churches but the most fascinating of all these monuments is a fountain.
A 16th century fountain known affectionately as the “Fountain of the Madmen” it is steeped in local tradition and legend. If you're interested in getting a true taste of Italian life, culture, heritage and tradition, finding a holiday rental in Umbria and paying a visit to Gubbio and her mysterious fountain is a must!
Gubbio is a charming, small medieval city in central Italy with ancient origins and a beautiful historic centre. In this centre there are a number of lovely town squares, impressive palaces and pretty churches but the most fascinating of all these monuments is a fountain.
A 16th century fountain known affectionately as the “Fountain of the Madmen” it is steeped in local tradition and legend. If you're interested in getting a true taste of Italian life, culture, heritage and tradition, finding a holiday rental in Umbria and paying a visit to Gubbio and her mysterious fountain is a must!
The actual name of this fountain is Fontana del Bargello, named for the palace in front of which is stands. Located in a piazza in the centre of the town, it acts as an obvious focal point where residents and tourists alike are drawn.
Its nickname, the Fountain of the Madmen, comes from a local legend that states that anyone to run around it thrice will go insane. Visitors can even gain a license of "matto di Gubbio" (literally, "madman of Gubbio") by being baptised with its waters after making the three turns around the fountain. However, they must perform this traditional ritual with a native citizen in attendance.
You can then procure a certificate that states you have gained lunacy, along with an honorary citizenship, which is sold nearby.
Its nickname, the Fountain of the Madmen, comes from a local legend that states that anyone to run around it thrice will go insane. Visitors can even gain a license of "matto di Gubbio" (literally, "madman of Gubbio") by being baptised with its waters after making the three turns around the fountain. However, they must perform this traditional ritual with a native citizen in attendance.
You can then procure a certificate that states you have gained lunacy, along with an honorary citizenship, which is sold nearby.
As silly as all this sounds – and it really is just a bit of fun – there may be some grain of truth to it. Geologic studies of peculiar rock formations that surround the city of Gubbio show that the area has long been contaminated by highly toxic iridium, a chemical that could explain the city's strange tradition and a predilection for mental instability. In fact, the fountain is just one of many strange and mysterious monuments. Along via dei Consoli is the Porte della Morte, the “doors of death.” These “doors of death” are narrow bricked-in openings usually very near and slightly above a home’s main entrance. They are rare architectural features, found only in a few places in Umbria, Tuscany and the south of France. Their name comes from the most popular, although unlikely explanation of the doors’ purpose. Legend has it that they were used only for carrying out the coffins of dead residents and then sealed again. It is more likely that they were used in case of an attack when the larger main entrance would be barricaded and the narrow opening, usually leading to a very tight staircase, left as an easier point to defend.
Whatever the truths behind these objects may be, they enrich the history and experience of Gubbio and make this quirky town a highlight of Umbria.
Whatever the truths behind these objects may be, they enrich the history and experience of Gubbio and make this quirky town a highlight of Umbria.
Photo credits
Picture 1: Danielac / CC BY-SA 3.0
Picture 1: Danielac / CC BY-SA 3.0
