Montebello is only a few minutes from Torriana and can be reached thanks to beautiful but extremely winding road that leads to Castle Gate, the entrance portal to the medieval fortress. The fortress itself stands on a picturesque hillside about 400 metres above sea level.
Montebello “castrum” has been documented since the late 12th century. At the beginning of the 14th century it was owned by the Brancaleoni family before passing to Ugolinuccio from Montebello, a member of the Malatesta family, in 1400. The castle and its impregnable fortress were subsequently owned by the di Bagno Counts and remained in their feud until it ended.
Montebello has one of the most beautiful and best-preserved fortresses in Romagna with the unusual feature of having foundations that rest on the peak of the mountain itself. In Latin, “Mons Belli” means the Mount of War and indeed it has witnessed numerous assaults, starting with the Malatesta family in 1186. After about 200 years the Montefeltro family conquered it and the fortress remained in their possession until 1438 when Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta once again conquered it. Today Montebello Castle is owned by the Guidi di Bagno family, who were enfeoffed by Pope Pius II in 1463.
One of the most beautiful walks in the surrounding area leads to the chalky reef of Madonna di Saiano where there is a sanctuary that overlooks the pebbly riverbank of the Marecchia Valley. Madonna di Saino Sanctuary was built alongside the ruins of a castle but all that remains of the latter are the boundary walls and a cylindrical tower.
Montebello Castle is a popular destination for numerous tourists, drawn here by the legend of Azzurrina, an eight-year old girl who disappeared mysteriously inside the fortress while playing with a ball.
Worth visiting is the popular Honey Festival that takes place on the first weekend of September.
descrizione dell'offerta in lingua inglese