Cannara is a town and comune on the Topino River in the floodplain of central Umbria, in the province of Perugia. It is located about 7 km west of Spello and 9 km north of Bevagna.
Etymology
Cannara was formerly known as Villa Portella, then Carnerio, a name connected to Count Raniero, as it was believed to have been founded by a Perugian lord of the Ranieri family in the time of Frederick Barbarossa.
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 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.
Edicola of Pian d'Arca
thumb|Edicola of Pian d'Arca
The shrine at Pian d'Arca was erected in 1926 on the occasion of the 700th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis. It stands at the place where the stone was located on which the saint is believed to have stood during the sermon to the birds, delivered between 1212 and 1213.
Notable people
Cannara was the birthplace of the Blessed Lucio Modestini, the first to profess the Rule of the Third Order instituted by Saint Francis, and of Tano Tani, a Guelph captain who defeated Alberghetto dei Chiavelli and died in 1347 fighting against the Ghibellines.