Cannara

Sister cities

• Montalto Dora

History

As indicated by the etymology of the name, it is a medieval town, recent by the standards of the region, since in earlier times the site was underwater in the Lacus Clitorius that covered much of the area between Bastia Umbra and Foligno, and was only drained in the Middle Ages. At any rate Cannara is first mentioned in 1170 as insula Cannaio — "the island of Cannaio"; the lake had not been completely drained yet. The origins of the settlement are linked to the destruction of the Roman city of Urvinum Hortense in 545 by Totila, after which the surrounding plain was gradually reclaimed. Control passed in 1212 to Count Napoleone Trinci. During the 13th century disputes arose with Assisi over border territories, conflicts that continued in the following centuries. Submission to Perugia in 1377 led to repeated alignment with that city in opposition to Assisi. The town was occupied in 1387 by the Michelotti exiles of Perugia, prompting the inhabitants to flee to Perugia. In 1416 it followed the fortunes of Perugia under Braccio Fortebraccio. During the 15th century lordship was granted to Malatesta Baglioni. In 1515 the municipality purchased reclaimed marshlands that had previously been seized by the Baglioni. Urban improvements were carried out in the 16th century under Costanza Baglioni. The death of Malatesta V in 1648 marked the end of Baglioni rule; the lands passed to the Holy See after prior acquisition by the Ughi family of Florence. In the late 17th century the town was placed under a governor resident in Perugia. French troops looted and burned the settlement in 1797. Two years later, in 1799, it was included in the Department of Trasimeno under a provisional government based in Perugia. Following the French period and the Roman Republic, the early…

Geography

Cannara lies in the at an elevation of , about from Spello, on the left bank of the Topino river. The locality is described as low-lying and formerly marshy. The surrounding territory is fertile and densely dotted with rural houses. The soil is described as clayey and black earth. The Topino flows slowly across much of the area, as do smaller streams known as Saone and Ose. In 2021, 1,197 people lived in rural dispersed dwellings not assigned to any named locality. At the time, most of the population lived in Cannara proper (2,829).