You can’t walk around Orvieto and NOT notice the amazing wood work peeking out here and there.  Especially here, on Via Michelangeli.

This little sculpture sits at the corner of Corso Cavour (main street) and Via Michelangeli

This alleyway is home to a few trojan horses, and my personal favorite, the cow with a secret compartment!

Cow bench with the secret doors!

But where did these masterpieces come from?  Bottega Michelangeli has been making wood furniture and whimsical figures since 1789. You can see the woodwork all over Orvieto, in one of our favorite lunch spots, Montanucci’s, for example.

Popular dining spot, Montanucci’s

I’ve rested on many Michelangeli benches, although my favorite, “the watermelon bench” has disappeared since my first visit in 2013.

My favorite bench, with friends from my first workshop in Orvieto in 2013

Another bench, found near the Duomo on my last visit

There are also little heads and figures that pop up in random places around town.  Keep your eyes peeled and you will find them!

This head rests about knee-level near the theater

Look up to see this one

The Michelangeli family are local artists. Their workshop is located right in the heart of Orvieto. An old nineteenth century theater has been transformed into an exclusive workshop to create these unique design pieces.  As you can see, the pieces draw from the mythological, the fantastical, nature, and even a child-like magic.  You can’t help but smile, and photograph!

Store entrance

There’s so much to look at with this one

Say cheese!

If you’d like to see more of Orvieto, check out some of my previous posts:

This Little Piggy Went to Market

The Majestic Duomo of Orvieto

Istituto San Lodovico…a little “peace” of Relaxation

Michelle Logue leads cultural and creative adventures in Orvieto, Italy. With a mandate to provide "travel that transforms", Adventures in Italy gives guests an immersive experience. After more than 15 years of return trips, Orvieto has become a welcoming home base surpassing the typical Italian vacation. Adventures in Italy operates trips in May and September, with two options: Artistic Enrichment nurtures creative expression, while Discover Orvieto invites visitors to focus on the history and culture of Orvieto and live as locals. Find out more about tours and special offers by following Adventures in Italy on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and visit www.adventuresinitaly.ca Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.