Monte Poggiolo Fortress

The current structure of the Rocca di Monte Poggiolo is the result of a project by the Florentine architect Giuliano da Maiano in 1471.

This fortified building is not very large; in fact, it embraces a perimeter of 146.85 meters. It includes four circular towers, of which the Maschio (or main tower) rises 18 m above the ground, while the other three are 12 m high. The outer walls that once surrounded it had a distance of 13 m from the curtains. The curtain walls were originally 9 m high and about 2.50 m wide.

The origin of the fortress is unknown, but it is known that until the construction of Terra del Sole it was almost always subject to Castrocaro. The current structure is attributed to the famous Florentine architect Giuliano da Maiano, from the year 1471. After the fortress town of Terra del Sole was built, it served as a watchtower to the new fort.

Inside the fort, there were: the residence of the commander of the fortress, the parade ground, the casemates and the patrol corridors.

In 1872, the Fortress, with the adjoining land, passed from the State into private hands. In fact, with a contract of 7 May of the same year, the Grand Duke Peter Leopold I sold it to the priest Don Biagio Magli of Terra del Sole for 300 Tuscan scudi.

Additional information: Edward Warren describes the Rocca di Monte Poggiolo in 1748 as follows: ‘This place uncovers the whole of the plain of Papal Romagna from Faenza to Ravenna and the Adriatic, so that it is not possible to pass between this sea and Terra del Sole anybody without being warned’.

Opening times: Can only be visited externally.

How to get there: It is 3 km from Terra del Sole.