Rocca Flea and Civic Museum

Fortress built around the tenth century and then included in the dominions of the Duchy of Spoleto in 1177 by Federico Barbarossa, is one of the most significant examples of medieval military architecture in Umbria. It was restored and enlarged by Frederick II of Swabia in 1242. Because of its strategic importance between the Papal State and the Duchy of Urbino it was always disputed by popes and emperors and used by various companies of fortune in transit along the Via Flaminia.
In 1416 Ceccolino Michelotti who came from Campania, gathered an army of 2000 knights to clash with Braccio Fortebraccio of Perugia. In 1442-43 Federico da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino, camped with his army at the Rocca for the whole winter. In 1517 Gualdo suffered the violent assault by the mercenary troops of the Duke of Urbino Francesco Maria della Rovere who attempted to assault and destroy the Rocca Flea, but without success. During the 16th century it lost its defensive function and from 1513 to 1587 it became the residence of the cardinals of the papal legation and then, from 1587 to 1798, the residence of the apostolic commissioners sent from Rome.
It was sold to the bishop of Nocera Umbra who built a female prison there. In the period of the Unification of Italy, however, it was a male prison and remained so until 1985.
After a long restoration that highlighted frescoes of various eras, furnishings and original structure, it was inaugurated as the seat of the Civic Museum in 1999 hosting three sections: an archaeological collection with Roman and pre-Roman findings, an art gallery with works from the 15th to 17th century and a collection of "lustrous" artistic ceramics typical of Gualdo Tadino. The archaeological section contains interesting findings from the Roman site of Tadinum. and above all from the excavations of the Umbrian site of "Colle I Mori", inhabited from the 8th to the 3rd century BC, and of the relative necropolis of Cartiere and San Facondino. The stone terminal stone with inscription in the Umbrian language and writing is of great importance. Although it is fragmentary, it is a testimony of the first order, as it bears the toponym Tarsina, the name of the settlement that occupied the top of Colle I Mori.