Urbino

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | 700+ words | Copyright

Urbino , town (1991 pop. 15,114), in the Marche, central Italy. It is an agricultural and tourist center, located on the site of a former Roman community. The town flourished under the Montefeltro family (12th–16th cent.) and then under the Della Rovere family (1508–1631), before coming under the papacy. The court of Federigo da Montefeltro, 2d duke of Urbino (1444–82), was a great artistic center during the Renaissance. Urbino was particularly noted for its school of painting (15th–17th cent.) and for the manufacture of majolica ware. The splendid Palazzo Ducale (1444–82) today houses a major museum, with paintings by Raphael (born in the town), Titian, Piero della Francesca, and others. Also of interest are St. John's Oratory and Raphael's house (now a museum).

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