More Than Chocolate
In her article “Perugia for Chocoholics” (Oct. 17), Clare Aigner Fleishman mentions some of the sights that make this Italian town so enchanting, but a few hours there are not enough.
About 600 years ago the pope conquered Perugia’s rebellious noblemen, who had refused to pay a salt tax. The pope razed their homes, roofed in their entire enclave and built his palace above it. About 100 years ago this underground city was discovered, and today it’s open to the public, lighted by electricity and with opera music piped in.
There is also a large arch in the town, originally built by the Etruscans with crude stone and later increased in height by the Romans with shaped and polished stones. On top of this, a Renaissance loggia was added with narrow columns and beautiful arches--in effect an example of three cultures.
RICHARD S. HULL
Helendale
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