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With its 436 meters high, Montebello (a hamlet of Torriana, Rimini) dominates the Marecchia and Uso valley, offering its visitor a fascinating panorama.
Its mighty fortress has two centuries of history to tell: it was no coincidence that it was placed to guard a road, the one that goes up the Valmarecchia of great strategic value since it represented the main connection with Montefeltro and Tuscany, and undoubtedly represents one of the most interesting historical buildings of the Malatesta seigniory of the whole Romagna territory.
The castle has the distinction of rest its foundations right on the peak of a mountain.
It is a complex where it is still possible to clearly read the interventions undergone over the centuries, from the more strictly military ones to those aimed at adapting to a noble residence.
The keep and part of the fortress are still those dating back to the original structure, dating back to around the year 1000.
In reality, the very first masonry construction of the Rocca dates back to the Roman period (III century): a square-plan tower now inserted in the castle structure. The following early medieval settlement inherited the Latin name “Mons belli” (War Mountain).
The stately home dates back to the second half of the 1400s, when the Counts Guidi di Bagno took over from the Malatesta, still legitimate owners.
The defensive tower and the military cells are still flanked by the halls for lunches and parties contained within it.
T he visit to the Rocca reserves many surprises for the treasures and secrets that are kept there. There are furniture of great value ranging from 1300 to 1700, a unique overview of about 500 years of history of Italian furniture. There is a beautiful collection bridal trunks, one, dating back, it is said, to the Crusades.
Mysterious tunnels, dark passages, very deep wells and strange events have fueled the legend of a ghost, a girl of about 5 years, daughter of the feudal lord, who disappeared in the basement of the castle in 1375. The "Rocca" in the 70s was the subject of a large restoration.