It's Wall a Myth

Such a pretty day!

Michael and I spent Sunday afternoon on a guided tour of Todi's walls. I'd already picked up on the fact that there was something ... shall we say, not quite right? ... about the story, since one of the roads is called the "Etruscan Wall Road." Sounds great, but the Etruscans never lived here in Todi -- the Umbrans inhabited the place!

Turns out that there are a bunch of stories about the walls that just don't hold up to scrutiny, and they can all be traced back to one guy in the 1500s (I think) who was a known falsifier. Now, I didn't or don't quite understand the fellow's motives (laziness while writing a tour guide? Dunno), but he started the story that the city continually expanded, leading to three different sets of walls. This supported the ethos of the time (the value and importance of cities), and worked for a long time in the minds of people. In fact, it still works given the prevalence of the stories that many tour guides give out.

Michael against the non-Etruscan wall

This part of the wall was used as an icehouse!

Looking down into the icehouse

The problem is, these stories just aren't true. There are, in fact, no stone remnants of the time of the Umbrans. Nerts to that. And there are definite signs that the city grew and shrank repeatedly over the years. One for-instance is the "First Circle" of the wall: it's actually made with blocks stolen from the theatre that used to exist here in Todi. And they were stolen during a visit by the (we think) Byzantines. How do they know? Well, it helps that some of the blocks used were carved in a way that was typical of Roman architecture around the steps of a theatre. Furthermore, there are some with row numbers and others with names ... corroborating that suspicion.

A wall "thrown together" as the Byzantines arrived

Funny story: the gate at the first circle was apparently very ornamental (using stones stolen from the Roman theatre) and a local aristocrat wanted to get his hands on them. The easiest way to do this was to declare his great fear that the gate was about to fall on his house and damage it (as if). He was turned down. He begged. He pleaded. He exerted pressure. And the result? He won the battle and not the war: the gate WAS removed, but the stones were used by the city (rightly so) and sold for revenue. So much for his plan!

Another view of the last-minute wall

Another interesting piece of information: I had learned that La Rocca was a papal fortress that was later dismantled to provide stones for Consolazione. What I didn't realize that La Rocca was designed not to protect the people of Todi, but rather to keep them in line! The Pope needed a fortress inside the walls to allow him access to the city in the event of insurrection. Of course, it also needed easy access...so an entire section of town was pulled down (either where Consolazione is today, or possibly nearer the elevator) to provide a passageway.

A pretty day! 

The hollowing that would have been on either side of the steps as a mitre

Look closely for the Roman numerals

Our tour guide being checked out by a nesting bird

The wall's towers have been incorporated into the building!

Love,

Alexandra