Last minute Itinerari Gualdo Cattaneo

Gualdo Cattaneo: churches, castles and wine

Along the "The Sagrantino wine Road" all the itineraries of Gualdo Cattaneo, among ancient castles and Romanesque churches

The city of Gualdo Cattaneo was founded in 975 by a vassal of Ottone II di Sassonia, Edoardo Cattaneo, which got the whole territory in feud. It still maintains today its structure of strengthened suburb which central element is constituted by the Rocca, a prevailing element in the city landscape. For an aware visit of Gualdo Cattaneo and outskirts, we propose two different tours, each of them concentrates around a thematic nucleus.

The medieval castles of Gualdo Cattaneo
Rocca dei Borgia - The visit begins from Gualdo Cattaneo and from the typical Rocca dei Borgia, so called in honour of the Pope Alessandro VI. Its construction is dated 1494, and was conceived as mighty structure to entertain numerous garrisons able to autonomously withstand every kind of attack. Its form is triangular and each of the vertexes finishes with a conic tower from the circular base, each of them is connected to the others trough underground burrows. The biggest of these three measure to the base 80 meters circumference and it's high around 20 meters. A curiosity: besides the numerous militias that in the years were appropriated for defending the Rocca, in 1624 it had the honour to host for some days an excellent character, Galileo Galilei.

Castello Barattano - It's very suggestive the castle of Barattano, other strengthened suburb, entirely thought as soldier defensive structure, able to reject repeated attacks. It was built during the XIII century and its boundaries, its towers and the city doors are still intact. The etymology of the topographic name is particular, due to the presumed fraudulent nature of its inhabitants.

Castello di San Terenziano - The place has been centre of human installations since the I century, while the origins of the Castle have roots in the XIV century when it was erected as a population protection element. The suburb is located along the road that from Gualdo Cattaneo conducts to Todi and has the name of the first bishop beheaded from the emperor Adriano.

Grutti - once upon a time called Grottombra, the suburb owes its name to the numerous caves and burrows of the subsoil, ancient shelter of the first Christian followers of San Terenziano, first bishop of Todi martyred under the emperor Adriano.

Cisterna - Built around the XIII century, the Castello di Cisterna is distinguished from the neighbouring ones for the elevated number of points of fire at its disposition.

Speltara - It's a big forgotten structure, between San Terenziano and Collazione. Its state of maintenance is not one of the best, but possesses a notable charm. Its construction was finished around the end of the XIII century. The grandeur of its architectural structure would deserve a suitable restoration.

Torri - It rises above a hill along the itinerary that connect San Terenziano and Bastardo, a place already installed in prehistoric epoch, as numerous recoveries of manufactured articles testify. Its origin goes up around to 1250, and it was often contended between Gualdo Cattaneo and Todi. The name derives from the imposing defensive perimeter composed by a mighty surrounding boundaries adorned of numerous towers.

Other two important suburbs certainly deserving attention are the Castello di Simigni, dated around the XII century, today a private ownership and the Castello di Pomonte, of the ancient family of the earls of Antignano.

The Romanesque Churches in Gualdo Cattaneo
The Sant'Antonio and San Antonino church is a XIII century crypt, guarded inside the parish church, which was built during the eighth century. The crypt was built on wish of the population in 1262 as place in which to store the relics of San Antonio and San Antonino.

Sant'Angelo di Sconsolo Church - a beautiful building in pure Romanesque Umbrian style, perhaps built between the end of the XII century and the beginning of the XIII century, on the rests of a pre-existing Roman site. It's in Marcellano.

San Bartolomeo Church - It's placed in Barattano, just in front of the castle. The structure is thirteenth-century, and its particularity is the portal with an unusual decoration twisted in relief.

Abbazia of San Terenziano - Particular building of the XI century set on two levels. The inferior part is to three aisles with vaults and arches, while the superior church is composed by a single aisle with hut coverage.

Sant'Apollinare Church - Not too far from the Castello di San Terenziano, the Church of Sant'Apollinare is a small structure composed by a single aisle from the particular horseshoe entrance.