When during lunch the typical unsalted bread appears on the table, it’s the ideal time to find out about this tradition. In 1540 the so-called "Salt War" took place in Perugia, the revolt of the city against Pope Paul III Farnese and his troops. A year before, this pope - who was hungry for power and wealth - announced extra taxes on the salt. As a matter of fact he needed funds for the embellishment of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Although the salt at that time was important for the preservation of meat and for the baking of bread, the city decided to boycott the purchase of salt. Especially the influential family Baglioni resisted the Pope's measures.
However, the papal army struck the rebellion down with much bloodshed, with as a consequence that Perugia lost her autonomy and became permanently included into the Papal States. The citizens were obliged to build an imposing fortress, called Rocca Paolina. The houses of the Baglioni family had to serve as foundations – a cruel punishment of Paul III. That is how Perugia became economically and culturally isolated. After the liberation of the city by the Piedmont army in 1860 the inhabitants destroyed the Rocca - symbol of the Church State - and Umbria became a part of the Italian Kingdom.
In that period the Piazza Italia was constructed with as an eye-catcher the statue of Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of the united Italy. However, the underground medieval city remained preserved as a historical monument and has been restored for years. Nowadays a lot of exhibitions and markets take place in this enchanting setting.
Till today also the tradition of the unsalted bread has remained in use. Statistics have shown that the Umbrian population lives healthier eating less salt and as a result there are fewer heart diseases than in other regions.
After our pranzo we are ready to discover the underground Perugia, so we take Via Oberdan and then Via Marzia where we are impressed by one of the oldest Etruscan entrance gates to the city, the Porta Marzia. In 1540 it was integrated into the gigantic papal fortress Rocca Paolina. Today the gate gives access to the perfectly preserved underground city, of which the medieval street plan is still perfectly visible, just like the facades of the palazzi of the Baglioni family, of their towers and churches, that disappeared under the papal stronghold for centuries.
After our visit we walk back to Via Oberdan, from where a long flight of stairs (Via Sant'Ercolano) takes us to the district “Borgo Bello” in the southeast of the city. After having admired the beautiful church of Sant'Ercolano with the octagonal floor plan, we take the Via Campo di Battaglia from which we easily reach the metro stop Pincetto.
© Filip Van Branteghem
© Photo Jan Vandorpe