Top 15 Castles around Pietrarubbia

The tiny village of Pietarubbia is located on the slopes of Mount Carpegna in a quiet and panoramic position. It is one of the oldest fortified villages in Montefeltro and is dominated by a Castle of which only one tower remains today. The name derives from Pietra Rubea, meaning "red stone", due to the reddish color of the rocks on which it stands.

Perched on a rock overlooking the Apsa torrent valley, on the southern slopes of Mount Carpegna, the village of Pietrarubbia is one of the oldest (if not the oldest) of the entire Montefeltro, with its origins that can be dated around the year 1000 ... What is certainly certain is that the village belonged to the Counts of Carpegna as early as 1137, and was equipped with an imposing Castle that stood on a red stone rock (from which the name petra rubea derives, later becoming Pietrarubbia) overlooking the valley below, characterized by excellent natural defenses so much so that it was later called "castrum inexpugnabile". The Montefeltro family originated from a branch of the Counts of Carpegna family, which gradually extended its influence throughout the Duchy of Urbino, with Pietrarubbia playing the role of an important defensive bulwark ... In the following centuries Pietrarubbia was the scene of bloody battles, first between the Guelph and Ghibelline factions within the Montefeltro family, and then between the Montefeltros and the Malatestas, who fought for a long time for control of the Castle, which changed hands several times. ... The following centuries were certainly quieter than the era of great battles that had just ended, however Pietrarubbia, precisely because of its particular conformation that transformed it into an almost impregnable fortress, went through a phase of decline and progressive abandonment, as in a period of peace the defensive function of the Castle became superfluous, and the inhabitants gradually but inexorably moved towards the valley ... The ancient village was completely depopulated around 1960, going through a phase of further decline, interrupted in the last years of the last century thanks also to the intervention of the famous sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro who, after having acquired the ownership of some of the most important buildings in the town, founded in 1990 the T.A.M., a school dedicated to the treatment of metals located right inside the historic center of Pietrarubbia. Nowadays the village is completely renovated and, although not permanently inhabited, it is very popular with tourists or simply curious people attracted by this place that presents itself as a real open-air museum. (Source: https://www.borghipesarourbino.it/castelli-e-rocche/pietrarubbia/ )

The fort of San Leo thus took on an emblematic meaning, so much so that Bembo defined them as "a very strong fort and admirable tool of war", an admirable meeting point between nature and art.

The Rocca di Maioletto is an ancient fortress located in Maiolo, in the province of Rimini, Emilia Romagna, Italy. The fortress was built on a gigantic mass of sand and clay and dominates the valley.

The Rocca di Maioletto is an ancient fortress located in Maiolo, in the province of Rimini, Emilia Romagna, Italy. The Rocca di Maioletto was built on a gigantic boulder of sand and clay and the few restored ruins are the remains of one of the most difficult fortresses to conquer in the entire Valmarecchia and Montefeltro. Legend has it that the fortress of Maioletto and the village below were destroyed by a landslide, which tradition indicates occurred between 29 and 30 May 1700 as divine punishment for an "angelic dance held within the castle walls".

When we visited, in the summer of 2023, preparations were being made for a wedding at the castle, it is very romantic to get married in this beautiful place.

The famous Dante already had great words for the small town of San Leo near the dwarf state of San Marino in his “Divine Comedy”. Thanks to its exceptional attractiveness, the municipality in the Emilia-Romagna region has often served as a film set. Not only has San Leo been named one of the most beautiful villages in the country, but it has also been awarded a seal of quality by the Italian Touring Club. No wonder that the town on the bizarre rock formation is a real visitor magnet. The buildings of San Leo are extremely remarkable, both artistically and architecturally. Source: www.italien.de/staedte/san-leo

The Rocca di San Leo is a fortress located on the municipality of the same name in the province of Rimini, Emilia Romagna, Italy. The fortress is built on the top of the rocky peak that overlooks the Leonine town and dominates the Valmarecchia. It was built in 1441 by Francesco di Giorgio Martini to keep up with the new military techniques of the time. The fortress was used as a prison and hosted historical figures such as Felice Orsini and Cagliostro.