Key to Umbria: Bettona
 


Patrician Palaces in Bettona


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Palazzo Baglioni (16th century)


Pope Martin V conceded Bettona to the Baglioni family in 1425.  When the citizens finally submitted to the Baglioni in 1439, a palace on this site became their family home in the town.  In 1516, Pope Leo X gave Gianpaolo Baglioni the title of Count of Bettona in return for the quashing of a large papal debt that was owed to him.  Bettona replaced Spello as the headquarters of a patrimony that also included Collemancio, Limigiano, Collazzone, Pomonte, Castelleone, Canalicchio, Deruta and Torgiano. 

When Leo X executed Gianpaolo in 1520, his son Malatesta IV Baglioni took refuge here until his death in 1531.  [Treachery to Florence]  The white plaque above the entrance commemorates the fact that he died here.

The palace then passed in succession to

  1. ✴Rodolfo II Baglioni (died 1554);

  2. ✴Gianpaolo II Baglioni (died 1608); and

  3. ✴Malatesta V Baglioni, Bishop of Pesaro and Assisi (died 1648).

The palace then passed to the Conti Fiume and subsequently housed a barracks and a bank (Cassa di Risparmio).  It is now the Hotel Palazzo Baglioni.

[
The inscription over the portal commemorates Horatio Crispolti of Perugia, who presumably built it. ]




Palazzo Biancalana (1859-89)

Francesco Biancalana was building this palace on the site of the  demolished Palazzo Ceccarelli and the adjacent orchard when he died in 1859.  The date 1889, which was stamped under one of the bricks used in the floor of the balcony, probably marks the last phase of the project.

The palace passed to the Commune after the death of Bianca Biancalana in 1920.  It now houses the entrance to the Pinacoteca Civica and the Museo Civico.

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