The Medieval Village of Usigni (Poggiodomo)

“Here, time is not money but stone and memory,” wrote a traveler in the 19th century. Usigni would certainly agree.

Perched on a rocky spur overlooking the Tissino Valley, the medieval village of Usigni, just 10 minutes from Poggiodomo, seems to defy gravity. In winter, when the fog blankets the valley, the village appears like a vision. With its stone houses clustered around Palazzo Poli and the Church of San Salvatore, this tiny hamlet (which repopulates in summer with returning descendants of local families) is an authentic portrait of Umbria’s hidden heart. Its name, derived from usina (meaning “mill” or “workshop”), hints at an industrious past, but today, a stillness reigns, broken only by the wind whispering through the alleys and the creaking of ancient iron signs.

From Lombard Court to Strategic Outpost

The site was originally a curtis (rural estate) of the Lombards (7th-9th century), confirming its early role as an administrative centre before it was fortified.

The castle was founded in the 13th century as an outpost of the Duchy of Spoleto. Usigni found itself at the heart of centuries-old battles between Cascia, Spoleto, and Norcia. Destroyed by Manfred of Swabia’s troops in 1268, it was rebuilt thanks to the noblewoman Mimalnaldesca di Oderisio, who donated it to Spoleto with one condition: no one except the municipality could rebuild it.

During the 14th century, it became a refuge for Ghibelline brigands, while in the 16th century, it gained its own autonomous statute (1529), including a rather ingenious electoral system involving beans, a rarity in Umbria:

• Election of the massari: Three councilors were chosen by drawing black beans from an urn filled with white beans.
• Vicario and Balivo: They administered justice and fined anyone who dared to work during the 36 religious holidays of the year.
• Chamberlain: He managed finances meticulously, even recording the exact number of livestock owned.

The village owes its current appearance to Cardinal Fausto Poli, a native of Usigni and a powerful figure at the papal court of Pope Urban VIII. In the 17th century, he transformed Usigni into a Baroque parlour, commissioning the Church of San Salvatore and his own cardinal’s palace, designed to host the papal entourage.