Hamlet of Montescudo
The hamlet of Montescudo overlooks the first hills of the Conca Valley, which border the ancient Republic of San Marino and converse with Montefeltro.
The Malatestas made it an important outpost, given its strategic location suitable for controlling the territory. A position that was so well-chosen that it attracts not only visitors but also new inhabitants.
Once we enter the hamlet, we find a perfectly preserved massive wall built by Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, and its impressive height and inclination were to have ensured the impregnability of the fortress.
Worth seeing are the Civic Tower dating back to the 1300s, the extraordinary singular ice house (from the Malatesta period) positioned on the side of the main square, the underground walkways, the secret passages that from the lookout tower on the sea side lead to the fortress, the well, the steep staircase and the large intact brazier.
During the restoration work in 1954, in the eastern part of the walls, the central bastion, 22 medals were found in a terracotta vase, medals depicting Sigismondo and the Malatesta Temple.
The hamlet of Albereto, a small nucleus of medieval origin, is a splendid terrace over the Rimini riviera. Via a guided tour, it is possible to retrace the history of the Castle: the archaeological excavations of the drawbridge; the traces of the ancient oratory of San Bernardino; the bell tower.
A bit of history
To find the historical origins of Montescudo we must go back to the Etruscan, Celtic and Roman settlements which, in the Augustan era, made it a post station.
Montescutulum is mentioned in the Diploma (962) by Ottone I to the Carpegnas, but with the success of the Malatestas, it became fundamental for their defense system, bearing in mind that the Montefeltros were at their doorstep occupying the neighboring castles, including Sassofeltrio nearby. Since the outpost had been disputed between the two families for a long time, Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta wanted to build a sturdy fortress in 1460 as a shield for the town of Rimini, as stated on the plaque placed on the southern bastion.
Also impressive are the stone walls with sloping sides where an extraordinary discovery was made: an amphora with 22 medals with the Malatesta Temple of Rimini as it should have been built, and the effigy of Sigismondo.
Also from the fifteenth century are the frescoes by the "Ghirlandaio School" in the Romanesque church of Valliano, a few kilometers from the center. The heart of the historic center is the Municipality Square with a central well, a garden on the bastion from which you can enjoy an extremely wide panoramic view towards the coast, a cylindrical ice house and the top of the watchtower which was joined to the Rocca by means of underground tunnels. An authentic jewel surrounded by greenery, Albereto, a rural hamlet with a fortified structure, of Roman origin, involved in the repeated battles between the Malatesta and Montefeltro families, was also rebuilt by Sigismondo, Lord of Rimini.
Ghost and legends
Definitely worthy of note is Albereto, a small, charming hamlet only partially inhabited where there are two restaurants, a sign of the propensity for food and wine in this area. The signs placed at the entrance to the hamlet define Albereto as a castle, a definition that appears a bit exaggerated because it looks more like a fortified hamlet.
In this place there is an atmosphere of great peace and tranquility to be enjoyed along the only two alleys, and looking out from the balcony, you can savor a splendid view of the sea and the hills.
Recent restoration work on the flooring of the balcony near the bell tower has brought to light several corpses buried in three different ossuaries, together with various items of grave goods that accompanied the deceased, such as bronze rings, medals with religious images, bracelets and crucifixes.