| | Facilities within the Property |
 Redibis Restaurant
Our hospitality is complemented by the "Redibis", our restaurant on the ground floor. It will soon be relocated in the majestic area of the ancient Roman theatre, which has been carefully restored. A fascinating place with a unique atmosphere where Chef Filippo Artioli will create innovative dishes which combine the latest trends with the traditional flavours of local cuisine. The olive tree came from the sea, conquered these hills and gave Umbrian bread the flavour of friendship. With the olive tree the Mediterranean stamped its mark on a land where it found its own sweetness and civilization.
An imprint that local people have never forgotten, not even under the yoke of peoples with different cultures and traditions who have been converted to gentler tastes. In the unique atmosphere of a place which comes back to life after 2000 years, Redibis offers a wealth of traditional dishes whose flavour is enhanced by Umbrian olive oil, the most powerful and pleasant expression of Mediterranean civilization and taste. It is a highway where you may meet old acquaintances, a road with side paths hidden behind the foliage that we have tried to clear in search of traditions which will leave a mark on your palate and heart. Hunting for tradition is not an attempt to revive ancient recipes for connoisseurs; Umbrian cuisine, which avails itself of the excellent natural products from the area and devotes attention to the general evolution of taste, can but give a sense of joy and pleasure to everyone. A difficult balance which requires sensibility, education and talent: that is the reason why the message of Redibis could be entrusted only to an expert chef with an excellent reputation: Filippo Artioli. |
 The wide range of dishes on our menu is made possible by the different kinds of crops and livestock which have always been part of this gentle hilly land. This enhances the variety of our cuisine which is always new all year long and uses only food in season. The true character and quality of service of Redibis are linked with the surrounding area: olive oil, the symbol of an age-old culture, conveys a warm message of welcome. And the friendly and competent members of the staff invite guests to have a gastronomic and cultural experience which will make them discover something that our time has lost: the idea that food is giving and sharing. |
 The "Redibis" occupies a well-preserved part of the two ambulatories of Mevania Roman theatre which was built in the I century A.D. under Emperor Trajan when many Umbrian towns were given the status of Roman ""municipium" and the whole region enjoyed a time of great prosperity. The ambulatory was a broad passageway, some parts of the existing structures used to be the outer walls of tanks holding water which might have been used during some spectacles. Above the ambulatory was the semicircular cavea with a diameter of 90 metres, the tiers of seats faced the stage which was close to the colonnade opening onto what is today the main street of Bevagna.On the other side the tiers of seats rested on the earth slope which was and still is the highest part of the town.
Here there was the small temple of Mars, whose remains are still visible, and a bigger temple where now is the Church of St. Francis. The town was situated along the ancient "Via Flaminia" and this contributed to its growth and development; it had a large population, in fact the theatre could seat 8000 people. A renowned local historian chanced upon a short epigraph in a Milan museum mentioning an obscure Roman actor who performed in Mevania and other theatres in Umbria. |
 The Garden
The garden has always been the heart of the Residence and its charming atmosphere appeals to the different senses. It is a treat for your sight and smell with its old-age wisteria, the sweet-smelling jasmin, the beautiful clematis and the old-fashioned rose beds tended by the family and their experienced and famous friend Helga Brichet. It also has much to offer to your taste: in fact the lavender flowers are used for one of our delicious desserts. But the peace and quiet coming from this "green box" has older and deeper roots than those of the beautiful vegetation: in fact the garden lies on what was once the main ambulatory of the Roman theatre (I century A.D.), next to the? sacred? area of the old town, where the remains of two Roman Temples are still visible inside the property.The sacredness of the place derives both from its pagan origins and the revitalising Christian epiphanies of the Middle Ages.
Just think of St. Francis, who, on his way to Bevagna, preached to the birds while standing on a stone which is said to be the one kept in the old church next to the Residence, not to mention the Blessed Giacomo Bianconi, pride of the Dominican Order in the 14th century, who contributed to the rebirth of Bevagna. History, spiritual and cultural values still linger in the garden which looks like a stage with its blooming flowers surrounded by important Roman remains and medieval buildings. On one side Palazzo Andreozzi provides the backdrop with the view of its 18th-century frescoed ceilings, while on the other side Palazzo Alberti completes the scene with its precious 16th-century loggia. Reading a book or having a drink in this unique atmosphere will make you understand why, when asked "Can I help you?", one of our guests answered: "Here there is all". |
 Wellness and Relaxation
People who live in the hustle and bustle of cities find their heart's desire in the villages of the Umbrian Valley. The eye is immediately caught by the gentle landscape, but the mind and body can be helped to relax and find perfect harmony. You can enjoy the pleasure of our massages in our "health room" where you will go through a reviving experience. Five different types of treatment available from Monday to Friday:
Rejuvenating body scrub, a gentle abrasive to exfoliate the skin coupled with a massage, full body aromatherapy massage, a massage using essential oils designed for your personal needs (stress, insomnia, headache and so on), reiki, a treatment using the Usui method to balance the Chakras and restore a feeling of well-being, feet reflexology, warm footbath, scrub and fottmask followed by reflexology to open the energy paths and facial treatment, facial cleanse, mask and massage for relaxation.
Bar, meeting rooms for private and for congresses, TV lounge and Internet point complete the facilities within the hotel. Cooking classes, wedding organiser and tours organiser on request. The churches and towns in the Umbrian valley preserve the memory of the most significant events in the history of the Western world. You can't think of a more romantic and evocative place to celebrate a major event of your life. With "Wedding in Umbria" L'Orto degli Angeli offers the opportunity of celebrating your wedding in the wonderful town of Bevagna, in a secluded and elegant place surrounded by your family and friends.
At your disposal 14 double rooms, elegant reception halls and the unique atmosphere of our "Redibis" restaurant which next June is going to move to a new, extraordinary location. Weather permitting, buffet appetizers or the wedding reception can be organized in the wonderful interior garden. |
| Property Facilities Summary: |  Afternoon Tea | Banquets | | Bar | Beauty Treatments | | Candle Light Dinner | Ceremony Management | | Coffee Break | Congresses & Meetings | | Cooking Courses | Fax Machine | | Guided Tours | Ice Machines | | Internet Point | Italian Language Lessons | | Massage | Meeting Room | | Olive Oil Tasting | Outlet Tours | | Overhead Projector | Personal Shopper Service | | Photocopier | Porter Service | | Private City Tours | Public Parking | | Restaurant | Special Events | | Ticket Reservation Service | Trekking | | Wake Up Service | Wedding Management | | Wine Tasting | Wine Tours | | |
 The hotel is in the historical center of Bevagna, a tipical Umbrian small town. You can join in a few minutes by walking the Roman Museum, the little theatre and the middle age square. Bevagna offers to its guests few different possibilities of restaurants and shopping facilities.
The village offers enchanting hidden treasures
- The Mosaic: The beautiful floor mosaic is what survives of the ancient Roman baths. It evokes naked bodies revelling in the healthy vapour. They wanted to give the body the utmost pleasure. And they wanted a great artist to create a water world where the mind could lose itself in a dream. Neptune's realm with mermen, sea-horses and other sea creatures. Today we no longer build the like of it. Yet people still want to enjoy themselves. But they need dreams. Only gods don't need dreams to enjoy themselves. The ancient Romans knew it well.
- The Bells: Today children don't often see glow-worms and they never wake up to the chime of bells. Without glow-worms and bells you grow up just the same, but your life won't be that cheerful. Glow-worms come back here every summer and the pace of life is marked by the chime of the bells.
- The Square: The beautiful square satisfies the eye and the spirit. Some say it makes you want to sleep there so that you can lay your eyes on it as soon as you wake up the following morning. Local people are crazy about the square. In the exciting summer evenings it flaunts its beauty and enhances the fun. But in winter, at dusk, if you are lucky you may find it empty. Empty. For a moment of magic you will never tell anybody about. You would never be able to put it into words.
The people
People are special. Always proud. Often ingenious. Sometimes bizarre. In the village there are people with such weird names as: Omero, Temide, Milziade, Elide, Corisma, Desiderio, Elettra, Prisca, Rotilio, Aristeo, Piramo, Artea, Cirano, Irene, Eurialo, Alighiero, Aida, Plinio, Aede, Alcide, Ermete, Leda, Orintia, Eliodoro, Pindaro, Meonia, Venerio, Demetrio, Ulisse, Giulio Cesare, Cleofe, Orazio, Aristide, Tamiride, Placidia, Pilade, Osiride. And there used to be: Socrate etc. You cannot find so many beautiful classical names anywhere else. It is enough to make you understand that there is something to find out here.
Gigi: Gigi, the painter of the valley, lives here. He is well known also outside the region, but people born in Bevagna don't usually want to leave. These places are the scene of his never-ending research into the secrets of light.
Cecco: An astonishing water-powered 14th-century machinery is still working thanks to the genius of a person full of love for his land. Every day a kind-hearted man performs the miracle of operating a real medieval paper mill. The fruits of a timeless ritual spring from his hands.
Folo: He says his name is Folo Trabalza, but to hide the truth he has made the mistake of using another name "hobbit". So many have become suspicious. In fact it's him, Bilbo Baggins. That's where he had got to, but don't tell anyone because he is fine here. In his tiny tailor's shop, where everything is still as it used to be 50 years ago, he receives important "urban" clients who come to Bevagna to have their suits made by him. Diplomats, doctors, renowned professionals. Sixty years' hard work and never a holiday. His craft is his life. And you can't take a holiday away from life. Between a joke in the local dialect and a loving glance at the square, he takes his clients' measurements, with his eyes rather than a tape measure. Then they leave, some for the U.S.A., where Bilbo sends the suit he has made for them.
The Professeur: Everybody knows something, one knows everything. Not for nothing is he known as "the Professor". For visitors to Bevagna meeting him is like sleeping on a feather bed, missing this opportunity is like sleeping on an uncomfortable sofa: the morning after the mood and memories won't be the same. He gives out his knowledge to tourists with the politeness of a real gentleman and satisfies their appetite with the skill of a great chef. He throws light on stones and narrates life, because without the colours of life even the stones of history are often as grey as cats in the dark. Then he walks away quietly, turning down the inevitable offers of money with a gentle smile. He would feel as though he were selling his own village, which is his passion. You can't sell passions but you can share them.
The Sparkling Laughter: It echoes around Peppe Strappini's small antique shop which opens onto the main street close to the square. It spreads out just like gas and its rich sound fills the place where the antiques are haphazardly piled up on the old wooden floor and leave room only for the regular visitors. Each of them has his own chair with his name written on the back and their favourite conversation topics are experiences from the past, especially the spicy ones, and each of them lays his brick of nostalgia. So the adventures, exaggerations and infidelities become as big as the breast of the tobacconist in Fellini film. Peppe, a lively storyteller, ends his stories with a laughter. And his sparkling laughter and exaggerated gestures make it necessary to open the door to let out the loud burst. In the end the jaws and abs ache, but a real professional grits his teeth and is ready for another story.
Bevagna was the Roman "Mevania", on the old via Flaminia. Previously an Umbrian settlement (7th-3rd century B.C.), then an Etruscan town, Bevagna flourished as a Roman Municipium (from 90 B.C.) ruled by the Aemilia family.
Present-day Bevagna has preserved its medieval appearance mainly in its western quarters, but its streets still reflect the Roman layout. The town, enclosed by mighty walls, is rich in monuments and historic buildings: its wonderful square, healthy food, famous wines, beautiful scenery and traditional handicrafts make it a relaxing and interesting place. Once the heart of the medieval town, Piazza Filippo Silvestri, which dates back to the 12th-13th centuries, is one of the most harmonious and interesting medieval squares in Italy. The square includes monuments of considerable importance: Palazzo dei Consoli and three churches. Palazzo dei Consoli, an austere square building with a portico on the ground floor, was the seat of the local magistracy in the Middle Ages. Since 1886 it has housed the Francesco Torti Theatre, decorated by Domenico Bruschi and Mariano Piervittori. The church of San Silvestro was completed in 1195 under the direction of master mason Binello. The unfinished façade in travertin and Subasio stone is surmounted by a cornice with zoomorphic protomes and has a finely ornamented portal. The sober and solemn interior has a nave and two aisles separated by solid columns with Corinthian capitals; the nave is roofed with barrel vaulting while the aisles have pointed arches. Above the crypt rises the presbytery supported by two columns.
The rich façade of San Michele (late 12th-early 13th centuries) is a fine example of the late Romanesque style. The interior of the church, restored in the 1950s, preserves its Romanesque flavour. The third church in Piazza Filippo Silvestri is the church of Santi Domenico e Giacomo, built in the Middle Ages, it was renovated in the 18th century. It still preserves parts of the original structures and contains a cycle of medieval frescoes. The square also includes a fountain, a typical feature of medieval towns, which has been reconstructed in the 19th century.
The church of San Francesco, dating from the late 13th century, stands on the upper part of the town, on the site of a previous Roman temple. The church has a façade with an elegant round-arched portal and marble columns. The interior, which was renovated in the 18th century, contains some interesting works. Beside the church a semicircular block of buildings shows where the Roman theatre was (1st-2nd centuries A.D.). Some traces of it are still visible: the two barrel-vaulted ambulatory which supported the "cavea" (tiers). In the nearby Piazza Garibaldi, which corresponds to the main Roman street in ancient Mevania, you can still see the remains of a Roman temple (2nd century A.D.) and of a thermal building with a beautiful black and white mosaic (2nd century A.D.).
Other notable churches are: San Vincenzo (13th century), San Filippo (18th century), Sant'Agostino (14th century), Chiesa della Consolazione (18th century), Santa Margherita (13th century).
Important documents concerning the history of Bevagna are preserved in the Town Hall (renovated in the 18th century); the Archaeological Museum and the picture-gallery contain a small collection of Roman exhibits and some works by local artists. |
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