Bastia Umbra
Discovering Bastia Umbra
Hi everyone! Today I want to tell you about a charming town located in the Umbrian valley, between Perugia and Assisi, along the Chiascio river: Bastia Umbra. It is a town with a population of about 21,190 inhabitants and a territory of 25.46 km². Let's discover together what its characteristics are!
Physical geography
Territory
The town of Bastia Umbra is located in a flat area of the northern part of the Umbrian Valley, about 170 meters above sea level. The average altitude is 170 meters, the highest altitude is 289 meters, and the lowest altitude is 105 meters.
Climate
The climate of Bastia Umbra corresponds to the characteristics of the central Italian Tyrrhenian regions. In winter and autumn, temperatures are not too cold and there may be fog, especially in autumn and winter. From the end of November to the beginning of March, there may also be extensive night frosts and freezes. The area does not often have snowfall, thanks to the protection of the Apennine chain, although sometimes there are usually scenic snowfalls. During autumn and spring, on the other hand, the rains are more consistent and accompany the Atlantic perturbations or at least are preceded by a southern ventilation. Summer, on the other hand, tends to be hot, sometimes stifling and with very little rain. The rain that can fall during this time of year is almost always due to the heat storm phenomenon.
Hydrography
In the territory of Bastia Umbra, three waterways flow: the Chiascio river, the Tescio stream, and the Cagnola ditch. The latter two both flow into the Chiascio.
History
Bastia Umbra is an area with a very ancient history: there are remains of structures and archaeological traces attributed to the Roman era. The locality is mentioned in the eleventh century when it was called ''Insula'', probably because of the many floods of the Chiascio river and the swamps that originated from the drying up of the ancient ''Lacus Umber'', which had given the small hill the appearance of an island or a peninsula. The toponym then appears in archive documents until the fourteenth century as ''Insula Romana'' or ''Romanesca''.
In the past, the village supported Assisi and in 1319 it resisted for seven months the siege of the troops of Perugia, slowing down their advance. When it finally surrendered, it was devastated and its fortifications were destroyed, but soon they were rebuilt and the village was renamed ''Bastia'', thanks to its imposing military works, walls, and the castle equipped with 17 towers (or "bastions"). In 1340, the castle was still part of the territory of Assisi, and in 1397, Biordo Michelotti from Perugia became the lord of the castle of Bastia. The coat of arms of the municipality bore a plow, symbolizing the presence of agriculture.
Conclusions
Here is a brief introduction to the splendid Bastia Umbra! It is a place full of history, and it is easy to imagine the imposing fortifications that protected the castle. Moreover, the area is very characteristic, and the Chiascio river adds even more charm to it. If you have the opportunity to visit Bastia Umbra, you won't regret it!
