A VISIT TO LA VERNIA 



Ancona. Far to the east were the lofty mountains 

 of San Marino, and the pale blue hills which surround 

 the Lake of Thrasymene, and stretch from Perugia 

 to Siena, and Radicofani. Looking westward, at our 

 feet lay the rich Casentino vineyards and cornfields, 

 with Poppi and Bibbiena each standing out on their 

 separate hills. On our right we could see the gorge 

 of the Zucca, where the Tiber rises to flow down by 

 Borgo San Sepolcro into the Umbrian plains. To 

 the left, on the other side of the Casentino, was the 

 mountain of the Falterona, and the sources of the 

 Arno. Immediately below, on the southern slope of 

 the mountain stood of old the Castello di Chiusi, 

 renowned not only as the home of Count Orlando, 

 but as the citadel, where Lodovico Buonarroti 

 was Podesti, when in March 1475 his son Michael 

 Angelo was born. Here, at Caprese, " in the close 

 vicinity of the rock of La Vernia, where S. Francis 

 received the sacred wounds of the Stigmata," writes 

 Giorgio Vasari, " under the influence of some 

 fortunate star, the child drew his first breath in our 

 pure Aretine air." Thus these lonely mountain 

 heights won a new glory, and the name of Michael 

 Angelo comes to blend with the memories of Dante 

 and Francis, which throng upon us at La Vernia. 



A well-favoured spot this shady grove of Francis 

 seemed to us as we stood there that bright autumn 

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