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", which meant "border", as it was located on the frontier with the Etruscans` area. It was conquered by the Romans in 217 BC and changed its name to Tuder.

Christianity reached Todi very 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, the last King of the Lombards and Charlemagne´s father-in-law, Todi became incorporated into the Duchy of Rome.

In 771 Charlemagne had the marriage annulled. Soon after he attacked and defeated Desiderius, assumed the title King of the Lombards (774), and disposed of his ex-father-in-law, who lived the rest of his life in the abbey of Corbie.

The "Piazza del Popolo" is the historic center of Todi. It is dominated by the Duomo di Todi (aka "Concattedrale della Santissima Annunziata"). It 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.

The building process of a church started mostly in the east, so the apses are the oldest part of the Duomo. They are adorned with lots of Romanesque carvings.