The village that looks over the Foglia valley, set between the Marches and Tuscany regions, can be rightly considered the ‘Montefeltro Gateway’, for those who come from Massa Trabaria (Tuscany) or from Umbria. An old engraved Roman memorial, displayed in the Archaelogical Museum of Urbino, is what still remains of the ancient urban settlement of the village. Though the Carolingian San Lorenzo parish Church, edified downhill in order to welcome pilgrims, was destroyed by an earthquake in the 18th century.
The massive Castle of Belforte shows by itself the prosper ancient past of the village: its oldest walls, built up with the aim of defending local inhabitants, probably date back to the 12th century and knew many local owners till the Montefeltro family and the Holy See Duchy. Both the urban village - settled around the Castle, and some gentleman’s residences were built during the Renaissance and still testify Belforte’s economic welfare lived during the Middle Ages.
:: Interesting Sites
Castello medievale e suggestivo borgo
Torri di guardia di Campo e Torriola
La Chiesa di San Lorenzo
Percorsi trekking, mountain bike, cavallo
Scuola di Lingua e Cultura Italiana per stranieri
:: Events
Festa del Miele - secondo week end di ottobre
:: Info
Comune tel: 0722.721845
e-mail: comune.belforte@provincia.ps.it
web: www.comune.belforte.pu.it
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The story of Belforte’s Castle is related to the eccentric character of the Prussian Federico Gasparre Hermann of Teanneret, called ‘Baron of Beaufort’. He arrived in Belforte on November the 22nd 1864, after the unification of Italy, laying claims to this castle, supposed to be a family’s old property. The inhabitants of Belforte judged him a dreamlike and didn’t give him a warm hospitality; this is the reason why the ‘Baron of Beaufort’ went back to Germany empty-handed. However, ten years later, a document containing the Baron’s last will and testament arrived in the village: Belforte had inherited the legacy of two thousands Prussian Talers in order to buy the Castle and use it “…for public and educational purposes”. After the Second World War’s restorations, the Castle of Belforte was used as an elementary school and since 1994, after further modifications, it has become an Italian School Centre for Foreigners.
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