Reflections on My 39 Years in Umbria

Gavelli: Church of S. Michele Arcangelo with frescoes from 1518 di Giovanni Spagna

Restoration of Renaissance frescoes - Gavelli, Umbria, Italy

Out of the Dark: the fresco cycle at Gavelli

For many years ATG groups walking through the remote mountain hamlet of Gavelli, in Umbria, have stopped to take a look inside the parish church of S Michael the Archangel. Fernanda, one of the fourteen elderly inhabitants of the village, often comes to open it for us with a heavy, medieval-looking key. It is dark inside, and damp. Nothing special. And then the lights go on.

Painted on the walls is a cycle of frescoes by one of Umbria’s finest sixteenth century artists, Lo Spagna. Finished in 1518, they represent the story of San Michele Archangelo and are of a quality that would win them a place in the great galleries of Italy. Until now, these paintings were crumbling, faded and forgotten.

Encouraged by the enthusiastic support of village people, the ATG Trust joined with the local Bank of Spoleto to fund the restoration and preservation of the frescoes. The cleaning and restoration process is now almost complete and there are plans for a bar to be made for locals and visitors alike to stop at and enjoy before continuing down a new footpath into the valley. Further funding has also been secured to carry out repairs to the bell tower.

Altogether, this initiative has encouraged more visitors to stop at Gavelli, reinforced a relationship between strangers and a small dying local community, and brought some economic development to the area. The Gavelli project is a model of how the ATG Trust has been able to "give something back" to a place that has given us much pleasure over the years. It is an initiative that will not only save an artistic treasure; it will also help to put this isolated village on the map of cultural and ecological tourism in Umbria.

the unassuming plain façade

an overview of the interior

the central apse

a detail

another detail

There are many stories like this in the remote Valnerina, an area which invites exploration in the true spirit of Slow Travel. For our valued guests at Genius Loci, I have put together my own detailed itineraries of this Valley (the Valnerina) for those who want to discover the deeper, lesser-known dimension of Umbria.