Sassofeltrio

A walled curtain around a rocky spur. One of the most important settlements of Montefeltro from a strategic point of view, and a land border within the region.

Formerly Crustumium Rapax, due to its frontier role between Emilia (the VIIIth Augustus region) and Umbria (VI region, as it was defined in the Augustan era).

In the Middle Ages Castrum Saxi - the fief of the Carpegna Counts - belonged to the Malatesta from Rimini and later belonged to the Montefeltro family from Urbino. Its old castle is cited in a document from the 8th century, but of the medieval fortress today there are only very few traces of tunnels and galleries in a state of abandonment, once used for emergency exits in the event of a siege.

The destruction on the Malatesta fortress is mentioned in the papal books when Federico da Montefeltro erected  a castle of renaissance military architecture designed by Francesco di Giorgio Martini after taking the castle form the Malatesta family. In that famous siege, dated June 1463, the story tells that Count Federico  in person led the troops to conquer the territory and  transform it into a defensive outpost of the duchy.

The new fortress was erected on the ashes of the ancient fortification, on the pedestal base made on hill on which was then to become the medieval village of Sassofeltrio.

Today it maintains a typically modern footprint with the well-restored Medieval Old Town protected by a perimeter wall. It has a panoramic position over large and sunny valley, it enjoys a 360-degree view over the Adriatic coast and the whole territory to Monte Gesso which stands out as being white due the calcium sulphate in its rocks, which was extracted here until the 1950’s

In the village of Sant'Anastasio, not far from a well-known source of sulphur and alkaline waters, there is a small church called Valle Sant'Anastasio, home for a short period to the Deacon of Ferretrana, The ancient mineral water of Sant'Anastasio is now bottled and sold on the market under the name of San Marino Mineral Water.

The gastronomic specialties of the local cuisine find a showcase of excellence during the annual events, organised in the hamlet of Fratte on the first Sunday of October. The bean festival is an opportunity to taste the dishes of the poor whilst breathing the timeless atmosphere of the medieval village.