Roncofreddo

A series of villages perched around medieval castles in the valley of the Rubicone. On the wooded hills, nestled between rolling hills and gentle slopes, stands the territory of Roncofreddo, made of rocks and fortresses that once served the Malatesta family but nowadays promote customs and traditions.

The territory extends along what once was the border between Rome and Gallia. Of its seven fortifications that dotted the present urban area, three of them survive today: the fortress of Roncofreddo and the castles of Sorrivoli and Monteleone, each with a particular urban structure and a story to tell. During its long history the village was home to one of the most important families of the region (the Malatesta from Rimini first and the then a branch of the Sogliano family),  the region suffered the occupation of the Napoleonic troops and heavy bombings during World War II.

The historic centre of Roncofreddo extends in a semicircle around Piazza Allende, dominated by the characteristic civic tower, built around the middle of the eighteenth century, part of the ancient "Castellaccio" where the gate and parts of medieval walls are still standing.

Among the artistic and religious treasures we find, the oratory of the Madonna della Misericordia and the parish church of San Biagio, with a crucifix from 1600 and two paintings by the Cimatori. A picturesque staircase leads to the castle of Sorrivoli with its characteristic underground path marked by the ages past: from the main road one arrives at the entrance, equipped with a drawbridge, extending over an inner courtyard dominated by the 12th century tower and the church of the saints Lorenzo and Aldebrando.

The shape of a half crescent medieval village of Monteleone, closed around the castle that over the centuries has undergone several transformations. The echo of love between Lord Byron and Countess Teresa Gamba Guiccioli, who secretly met in these rooms, today the structure is owned by the Count Volpe family.

The main tower is today used as a farmhouse, while the defensive walls and two gates are still preserved today. Montecodruzzo stands on the highest point of the area with the church of Santa Maria Liberatrice (called the Malatestian Temple),commissioned by Giacomo Malatesta in honour of his liberation from the captivity of the Turks. From here the view extends over the hills and the Adriatic Sea.

Roncofreddo is also a lively area for cultural events organised throughout the year. The summer evenings are enlivened with songs, music and theatre with the “Il borgo sonoro” festival, while the area of ​​Sorrivoli Castle is populated with a festival of puppeteers, a unique event in Italy that also  has lectures and workshops. In the autumn, traditional crafts, music and dances,  workshops and games take place in the small autumn fair, while during the Feast of Our Lady and the fig-tree celebration religious tradition is celebrated with a procession along the the borough’s roads. Finally, in the spring, another product of the territory is celebrated during the pea festival with stands, music and exhibitions.