Compignano
Encyclopedia
Compignano is a village in Italy. It has 175 inhabitants according to the 2001 ISTAT data, who are known as compignanesi. Though a more recent estimate puts the population closer to 177. It is a frazione
of the comune
of Marsciano
, a larger town 12 km away, along strada statale 317 then provinciale 340 to Spina. Compignano is on top of a low (262m) hill, overlooking the valley of the river Nestore, which runs in a wide horseshoe-shaped curve at the foot of the hill.
of Florence
Andrea did Giacomo, with Perugia
as his and its overlord. The village was sacked by the troops of Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor
in 1312. In 1361 it tried to secede from the signoria
of Perugia but in 1398 the castle was returned to Perugian control, passing to count Federico di Bernardino di Marsciano (also subject to Perugia) in 1440.
In 1631 work began in the village on the construction of a palazzo for Benedetto Monaldi Baldeschi, bishop of Perugia, who visited the castle in 1637 and 1641 after his promotion to cardinal.
Frazione
A frazione , in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a comune; for other administrative divisions, see municipio, circoscrizione, quartiere...
of the comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of Marsciano
Marsciano
Marsciano is a comune in the Province of Perugia in the Italian region Umbria, located about 25 km south of Perugia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 17,148 and an area of 161.6 km²....
, a larger town 12 km away, along strada statale 317 then provinciale 340 to Spina. Compignano is on top of a low (262m) hill, overlooking the valley of the river Nestore, which runs in a wide horseshoe-shaped curve at the foot of the hill.
History
Its name probably comes from Campo di Giano. The first appearance of the village in the historical record dates to 1240, where it is mentioned as the castle of the former podestàPodestà
Podestà is the name given to certain high officials in many Italian cities, since the later Middle Ages, mainly as Chief magistrate of a city state , but also as a local administrator, the representative of the Emperor.The term derives from the Latin word potestas, meaning power...
of Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
Andrea did Giacomo, with Perugia
Perugia
Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area....
as his and its overlord. The village was sacked by the troops of Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VII was the King of Germany from 1308 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1312. He was the first emperor of the House of Luxembourg...
in 1312. In 1361 it tried to secede from the signoria
Signoria
A Signoria was an abstract noun meaning 'government; governing authority; de facto sovereignty; lordship in many of the Italian city states during the medieval and renaissance periods....
of Perugia but in 1398 the castle was returned to Perugian control, passing to count Federico di Bernardino di Marsciano (also subject to Perugia) in 1440.
In 1631 work began in the village on the construction of a palazzo for Benedetto Monaldi Baldeschi, bishop of Perugia, who visited the castle in 1637 and 1641 after his promotion to cardinal.
Economy
In the past it was known for its carpentry, construction of floats, blacksmiths, coopers, and hand-weaving. It has had several generations of furnaces, with a small museum dedicated to them in the village (Museo del Laterizio e delle Terrecotte) and a restored historical brick-furnace.Monuments
- Castle - 13th century, with well-preserved circular walls and curtain walls. The entry gate, on Piazza della Vittoria, is surmounted by a stone tower (rebuilt in the first half of the 16th century), the only survivor of the original five towers. In 1925 the village's campanile was built on the remains of one of the other towers.
- Palazzo Monaldi - Corneli (17th century);
- Church of S. Cristoforo (13th century), in front of palazzo Monaldi. Around the end of the 18th century, it was almost wholly rebuilt, with a vaulted roof, five altars and paintings by Anton Maria Garbi. It was rebuilt again quite faithfully in 1905. Inside hangs a 17th century painting of Saint ChristopherSaint Christopher.Saint Christopher is a saint venerated by Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians, listed as a martyr killed in the reign of the 3rd century Roman Emperor Decius or alternatively under the Roman Emperor Maximinus II Dacian...
. - Chiesa della Madonna del Crocifisso (late 16th century), a small church made of baked bricks. Inside are frescoes by the Perugian painter Gerardo DottoriGerardo DottoriGerardo Dottori was an Italian Futurist painter. He signed the Futurist Manifesto of Aeropainting in 1929...
, dating to 1921-22: a scene of the life of Jesus and two large angels