The Fortress of Civitella of Romagna

It stands in defense of the original walled village, on the spur formed by the confluence in the Bidente of the Fosso di S. Filippo, in a position that dominates the route of the valley bottom path. It is believed that it was built, perhaps, at the end of the twelfth century. Its current structure suffers from interventions, not always orthodox, succeeded over time. Of the ancient artefact remain traces in the walls, in the main door surmounted by the tower with the clock, some underground and ruined bastions. Like many of the fortifications of this territory belonged, from 997 to 1275, to the abbots of S.Ellero, but later it was occupied by Count Guido Selvatico and the mercenaries of Florence. In 1277 it was brought back under the dominion of the Church thanks to the intervention of Guido da Montefeltro. In 1404, besieged by the Florentines led by Jacopo Salviati, suffered serious damage. It then passed under the dominion of the Malatesta family who in turn sold it to the De Nobili family, which turned out to be feudatory around the middle of the 16th century. Now unusable for defense purposes after the introduction of weapons from dust, even the castle of Civitella lost all importance and had to undergo a long period of constant degradation.