Corso Vannucci (officially Corso Pietro Vannucci) is the main street of Perugia. It connects Piazza Italia (the city’s central bus square) and the Carducci Gardens with Piazza IV Novembre and the San Lorenzo Cathedral. The shopping street is named after the painter Perugino.
Corso Vannucci Perugia
Useful information
Attractions: Palazzetto del Collegio dei Notari, Palazzo Donini, Palazzo dei Priori, Palazzo Baldeschi al Corso, Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria.
History and Description
Perugia’s main street is named after the Renaissance painter Pietro Vannucci (1448-1523), better known as Perugino.
The Corso Vannucci runs where the ancient Roman cardo of the city used to be. (The cardo was the main street of a city in a north-south direction, while the decumanus was the central road in an east-west direction.)
Also during the Middle Ages, the street was the center of Perugia’s political and economic life.
Today, it is the city’s major see-and-be-seen street. From about 4 o’clock in the afternoon until the closing time of the stores (8 o’clock in the evening) the inhabitants of the city make their daily passeggiata here and stroll pleasantly from exclusive store to exclusive store.
What to see
Piazza Italia: This is the central bus square of the city.
Palazzetto del Collegio dei Notari: 15th century building that was to replace the earlier seat of the notaries’ guild.
Palazzo Donini, the seat of the Regional Council (Giunta Regionale).
Palazzo dei Priori: Opposite the Palazzetto dei Notari, this is one of Perugia’s most eye-catching attractions.
Palazzo Baldeschi al Corso: Here you can admire a magnificent collection of paintings (including Pinturicchio and Perugino), as well as a unique collection of majolicas.
Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria: Museum of 13th to 16th century art from the Umbria region.