Borghi
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Borghi
Castles suspended between sea and mountains. The paths of vineyards and olive groves design the profile of a land lying half way between the Adriatic Sea and the Apennines. A landscape enclosed by walls, framed by the slow running of the River Rubicone.
The town of Borghi, along the border between Romagna and Montefeltro, was born from the union of three ancient communities, which remained autonomous until the end of 1700: Poggio de Borghi, San Giovanni in Galilea and San Martino in Converseto. The origins of these three villages attest to a development between the VI and the IX century.
The towns history is linked to the destinies of the families that have dominated it: under the jurisdiction of Santarcangelo, around 1300, it was destroyed by an army sent by the Visconti family, it then passed, in the middle of the fifteenth century, under the control of Malatesta and of Antonio degli Ati, brother of Isotta, wife of Sigismondo Pandolfo, ultimately it became a possession of the papal state (mid 1600).
The ancient nucleus of Borghi appears hidden in the shadow of an imposing town wall dating back to the Malatestian era. The stone perimeter, built in 1335 at the time of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta and then restored by Camillo Sassatelli, was severely damaged during World War II bombings and patiently rebuilt in the 1950s. Today the walls retain two circular turrets and two entrances, some stone stairs to the east and the access road to the west leading the visitor into the characteristic medieval town. Among the valuable buildings are the church of Santa Croce, built between 1580 and 1594, but enlarged and restored in 1737, with the bell tower dating back to the postwar period and the 19th century loggia covering the ancient cistern for the water. On the outskirts stands the church of St Cristopher, from 1144, rebuilt in the nineteenth century and restored after the war.
The village of San Giovanni in Galilea looks like a natural balcony extending over a rocky cliff that dominates a green plain guarded by the castles of Montebello, Torriana, Verucchio and San Marino. Among the testimonies of its ancient origins is the archaeological site of the Pieve with the characteristic church of St. John the Baptist, a museum and library. Not far away are the ruins of the fortress and the tower, testimonies of the war.
Cultural vivacity is marked by festivities that celebrate different times of the year. The "bustrengh" festival is especially appreciated, the particular sweet cake made with more than 20 ingredients and is celebrated in May. There are also tastings, but also musical shows, balls, street artists, painters and artisans.