Malatesta’s Castles and Valleys
During my stay in Cattolica i enjoyed some trip in the hinterland. What a marvellous surprise when i came up into several medieval small villages, each one with an awesome fortress arising in the higher point of the hill.
The Marecchia and Conca Valleys still preserving astonishing countryside, alternated by villages and castles that preserve a valuable artistic and cultural heritage. These two valleys, which lie just a few kilometres from Rimini and Cattolica, have been ruled and dominated by Malatesta Seigniory.
The Malatesta were one of the most influential Family Houses in the Middle Ages and also in the Renaissance. They marked the history of Italy writing the history of Romagna, the region that stands between Emilia and Marche. In these valleys, they left behind an impressive artistic and cultural heritage building up several castles and strongholds. To start with, on a rocky spur sits the medieval village of Verucchio that presents many churches and convents. And most important this is the little village where the Malatesta family originated. However, the village dates from even further back as it was the cradle of the Villanovan civilisation, which is recounted in one of the most beautiful museums in Italy (housed in Sant’Agostino Convent). The trip continues discovering two rocky spurs, each with its own castle, Montebello and Torriana, then to Santarcangelo, which is famous for its old town center and its pretty little restaurants and taverns, hided in narrow streets between ancient walls and flower cascades.
A must-visit is the beautiful village of San Leo, with its famous stronghold, parish church and cathedral. The entire Conca Valley is dotted with Malatesta’s fortresses and fortified villages that once guarded the dangerous territory bordering the Duchy of Urbino, protecting the borders by urbinian cruel intrusions.
I think that the valley’s most emblematic village is maybe Montefiore, which the opening image of this post refers to. Montefiore Conca has a huge and extremely beautiful medieval fortress on its peak. You have to climb up for a long time before reaching the top and i arrived without air! But damn it Worth’s! What a spectacular landscape from here dominating all Conca Valley and embracing all the Adriatic Coast. And the Malatesta Fortress it’s also very interesting, full of medieval artifacts and torture secret chambers. It is the Malatesta castle of Montefiore Conca, which was once the summer residence and defensive bulwark of the Malatesta dynasty. The ramparts of the imposing Rocca di Montefiore fortress (from the 14th century) can be made out from very far away, inland at Cattolica (30 kilometres away), behind one of the most beautiful medieval villages in these hills: the panoramic view which you can enjoy from its walls is splendid not only in the direction of the sea, but also towards the reliefs covered by woodland and olive trees. We are in the historic region of Montefeltro, almost at the border between Emilia Romagna and the Marches, the theatre for the bloody medieval battles between the nobles of Rimini (the Malatestas) and Urbino (the Montefeltros). Within the castle’s ancient walls one can admire the church of San Paolo and an old potter’s shop. The sanctuary of Madonna di Bonora is just a short distance from the centre and its paintings were of an breathtaking beauty.
The village of San Giovanni in Marignano guards and hosts a little jewel of the nineteenth-century architecture: Massari Theatre. This is a very small theatre (around 100 seats) with a nice stage, very wide in order to accommodate every kind of dramatical play. And just in a very short distance away we reach Mondaino, with its prestigious fossil museum, and Saludecio that show its elegant profile against a clean sunny sky.
Therefore the valleys of Marecchia and Conca and indeed the entire Riviera are dominated by the three castles of San Marino, they are the symbol of the oldest republic in the world that draws millions of visitors every year.
Very interesting tour indeed, and for a day we forgot the sea, the beach, and also our relaxing hours there (yes it was tiring). But it definitively worth’s a visit.
That’s all folks!
Technorati Tags [ Italy | Montefiore | Romagna | Cattolica | travel | castles | strongholds | Malatesta | Rimini | valley | tour | San Marino ]
