Hamlet of Saludecio
The entrance to the village of Saludecio is via the beautiful 14th-century Marina Gate.
It is the main entrance to the village, a beautiful structure dating back to the time of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta and which, together with the nearby buildings, gives us an idea of what the whole fortification of the village must have been like.
Surrounded by a gentle and elongated landscape, in the center refined palaces and important sacred buildings alternate with the simpler houses of the hamlet.
Once you enter the hamlet it is possible to admire a decidedly unique environmental and historical-architectural environment.
Montanara Gate
14th century. This fortified entrance gate faces inland towards the hinterland and the foothills of the Apennines. From here, it is possible to control the boundaries with the lands of the Montefeltro dynasty, legendary rivals of the Malatesta family.
Municipal Tower
XIV century. Is one of the towers of medieval origin that characterize Saludecio's outline from far. On the tower is embedded the city emblem. Available for temporary exhibitions.
Village murals
a multicoloured and unusual open-air museum winds its way through the narrow streets and squares of the old town of Saludecio revealing 19th-century inventions: each summer murals are painted during the 800 Festival on the walls of the houses of the village (about 50 pieces) by the artists of the “Genius Loci - Ar.Per.C.” (Artistic and Environmental Cultural Association of Castellabate-Salerno). Thanks to these precious characteristics, Saludecio is now one of the main towns in AssIPaD (Italian Association of Painted Villages) and Res Tipica.
A bit of history
The hamlet of Saludecio dates back to the Roman and early medieval periods, of which there is evidence.
The Malatestas made it their defensive possession for three centuries, starting from the 1200s, due to the conflict with the Montefeltros, but it was also quite a productive place as well.
They intervened to consolidate the fortress and city walls that still characterize the layout of the historic center which fully reveals its medieval structure, with the maze of alleys enclosed by the walls and the two monumental access gates for defense, one towards the sea and the other towards the hinterland.
This is why even after the defeat of the seigniory - the fragile balance collapsed in 1462 when Federico da Montefeltro occupied Saludecio, snatching it from Sigismondo and entrusting it to the Church - it has maintained its leading role, with powerful families who built palaces and prestigious churches, intellectuals and artists who gained great fame: Proof of this is the local activity of Guido Cagnacci who left works of inestimable value.
This until the 9th century, which opened with splendor and continued with the same tenor, so much so that it was equipped with institutions and administrative services that transformed it into the capital of the valley.
An important role in town life was played by Saint Amato Ronconi, who lived in the thirteenth century and was venerated by the faithful for the following centuries, and the Sanctuary and Museum are dedicated to him. The desire of the inhabitants to open roads towards a renewed kind of hospitality can be seen in the development of events such as Saluserbe, in which the Italian Garden was also born in the Porta Montanara area and the painting of murals on the walls of the houses that has also made it possible to become part of the "Cities of Painted Walls".
Ghost and legends
In the municipality of Saludecio there is the district of Cerreto, a little village that still maintains the characteristics of a medieval hamlet. It is included among the "ghost villages" and the reason is easy to guess: It has almost no inhabitants left.
Its origins date back to ancient times, but the first written evidence of its existence dates back to 1231, when it was subjected to the municipality of Rimini; at that time, it had just over fifty inhabitants. In the fifteenth century it was under Venetian domination and then, until 1860, it was part of the Papal State.
The hamlet is located a few kilometers from the municipality of Saludecio to which it belongs administratively, and is located in an area of an exceptionally beautiful natural landscape. A peculiarity of Cerreto is the fact that it is an enclave outside the municipality of Saludecio within the territories of the municipality of Mondaino.
Those who visit the hamlet will immediately notice the church’s bell tower, the town’s former civic tower which stands tall, and surrounding it, one can also admire the ancient restored walls of the old fortified town.
However, there is something else here that catches the eye. It is its ancestral rites, especially those of that liberating period that is Carnival, which here, brings back to life the masks and costumes of the past. Furthermore, legends abound about the locals, handing down their proverbial "naivety".
In Saludecio at the end of April there is the event devoted to nature called Saluserbe; it has been held for over two decades. Alongside exhibitions, conferences and meetings there is the Spring Market for lovers of naturopathy, medicine and alternative cuisine