Urbino came under the rule of the House of Montefeltro in the early 13th century and under their rule in the Renaissance the city had its heyday, when it was a centre of attraction for famous artists from all over Italy, who created there an exceptional urban complex of remarkable homogeneity. In 1502 Cesare Borgia dispossessed the Duke of Urbino and in 1519 a new Duchy was established by the Dukes Della Rovere. In 1626 Pope Urban VIII incorporated the Duchy into the Papal States.
Between 1444 and 1482 the city was ruled by Federico III da Montefeltro. He was the most famous member of the Montefeltro family, a skillful diplomat and an enthusiastic patron of art and literature. In 1454 he ordered the construction of the Palazzo Ducale, one of the most important Renaissance buildings in Italy.
The Historic Centre of Urbino is since 1998 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Raphael was born in Urbino in 1483. He was a painter and architect of the High Renaissance and is said to be one of the period's Great Masters. He had an unusually large workshop and left a large body of work, although he already died at 37 in 1520. Many of his works are found in the Vatican Palace.
Some of his most famous paintings include the Madonna of the Meadow shown in Vienna, the Madonna of Foligno shown in the Vatican and the Sistine Madonna shown in Dresden.
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