Todi - Duomo di Todi

Todi was founded by the Umbri, in the 8th-7th century BC. The settlement on top of a mountain was named "Tutere". It was conquered by the Romans in 217 BC and changed the name to Tuder.

Christianity reached Todi early and already in the 2nd century a bishop resided here. The Ostrogoths took the town after a siege and in 759 the Longobards followed. After negotiations between Pope Paul I and Desiderius, last King of the Lombards and Charlemagne´s father in law, Todi became incorporated into the Duchy of Rome.

After Charlemagne had the marriage annulled, he attacked and defeated Desiderius, assumed the title King of the Lombards (774) and disposed of his ex-father in law, who lived from then on in the abbey of Corbie.

The Duomo di Todi (aka "Concattedrale della Santissima Annunziata") stands on the site of a Roman temple in the former forum. The earlier church here was almost completely destroyed by a fire in 1190. The rebuilt cathedral was finished in the 14th century, but the structure has been refurbished and altered several times since then.

Located in the large crypt below apse and nave is a museum. Here is a copy of the "Marte di Todi" ("Mars of Todi"). The original, found in Todi in 1835, is held by the "Museo gregoriano etrusco" in Vatican. The bronze warrior, dating from the late 5th or early 4th century BC, was a votive offering. An Etruscian inscriptions tells "Ahal Trutitis dunum dede" - "Ahal Trutitis gave (this as a) gift". Seen here is only the face.