Gubbio
[key], town, in Umbria, central Italy. It is an agricultural and tourist
center and has long been known for its ceramics. Originally an Umbrian town
(coins and the Iguvine Tables
were found there), it later flourished under the Romans. Gubbio was a
powerful free commune in the 11th–12th cent., came under the dukes of
Urbino in 1384, and was held by the papacy from 1624 to 1860. A local school
of painting (14th–15th cent.) included Guido Palmerucci and Ottaviano
Nelli. The town retains a medieval character. Notable structures include the
Gothic Palazzo dei Consoli (14th–15th cent.), the Palazzo Ducale
(begun 1476), and a well-preserved Roman theater (1st cent.
b.c.).
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