Urbino has  a long  and well-documented  tradition of artistic  craftsmanship Its goldsmiths, art printers, sculptors, and ceramists were celebrated in days gone by, and several workshops are still operating today, combining tradition and innovation.

Artistic printmaking remains vibrant thanks to the extraordinary legacy of the Scuola del Libro, an institution established in 1923 and developed over the years. Another item of craftsmanship unique to Urbino is the “Stella Ducale”, a lamp in brass, tin, and glass; its geometrical shape was inspired by the Platonic solids as described by mathematician Luca Pacioli (1447-1517).

The Reproduction of Raphael’s Tomb in Urbino

A visit to Urbino can now offer a new stage dedicated to Raphael. The Chiesa dei Carmelitani Scalzi [church] now contains a life-sized reproduction of the great artist’s tomb, the original of which can be seen in the Pantheon, in Rome. The church and its new feature are just a short distance from Raphael’s monument, in the small park at Pian del Monte. The church building, no longer used for worship, now houses a new exhibition that focuses on the tomb, which bears the famous inscription by Pietro Bembo:
Here lies Raphael, by whom Nature feared to be conquered while he lived, and while he lay dying, feared she would die herself.

The reproduction of Raphael’s tomb was made in 2020 on the occasion of celebrations to mark 500 years since the death of great Renaissance genius, and it was part of a stunning exhibition organized in Rome, at the Scuderie del Quirinale. Once the celebrations had finished, the reproduction was donated to the City of Urbino. The Chiesa dei Carmelitani Scalzi is located along an “ideal” route, linked to Raphael; it is not far from the 19th-century monument dedicated to the “Divine painter” and just a few hundred meters away from the house where he was born. Originally the church belonged to the community of the Servite Order, founded in 1389. In 1673, the convent was given to the Discalced Carmelites and on that occasion, both the church and convent were rebuilt. After various transformations, the parts that belonged to the actual convent are now home to the headquarters of Urbino’s Fine Arts Academy.   Open every day from 10.00 / 18.00