Hamlet of Petrella Guidi
Petrella Guidi is a charming fortified hamlet in the municipality of Sant'Agata Feltria, and the view of it is enchanting even from a distance.
You cannot miss the charm of this hamlet which has kept its original appearance intact. The stone houses on narrow cobbled alleyways are dominated by the Tower as an indomitable witness to its powerful role.
There are symbols of power carved into the door of the Castle: the coats of arms of the Malatestas and of the Church.
The origins are remote and the finds reveal vestiges of Roman times.
At the foot of the Tower, there is a tribute to Federico Fellini and Giulietta Masina by the poet Tonino Guerra.
The Field of Names
“In this small hamlet clinging to the mountains, there is a meadow on which the marble slabs dedicated to Federico Fellini and Giulietta Masina have been laid. A sanctuary where the names of those who have given art and emotion to humanity are honored.”
With these words Tonino Guerra describes the place of peace in Petrella Guidi that he wanted to dedicate to Federico Fellini and Giulietta Masina, hence the denomination “The Field of Names”.
Do not miss the prized white truffle fair, a national event held every year on Sundays in October.
A bit of history
The origins of Sant'Agata Feltria and the hamlet of Petrella Guidi date back to the Pre-Roman period with populations of farmers, shepherds and hunters, settled in its forests, perhaps Solonati originating in central Italy.
In 600 AD, it is said that when a rock broke away from Mount Ercole, one of the most enchanting places in Valmarecchia, a church dedicated to Sant'Agata was built, around which the urban area developed.
From the end of the 800s, the hamlet belonged to various feudal lords, among whom there were the Malatestas, the Montefeltros and finally the Fregosos, who gave the name to the 10th-century Rocca, restored by Francesco di Giorgio Martini in 1474. Under the Fregosos, the beautiful historic town center was enriched with new buildings, such as the seventeenth-century Palazzone, which houses the Angelo Mariani Theater, one of the oldest in Italy, whose structure is entirely in wood. One of the most important composers, Angelo Berardi, was born here; in his writings, he mentions the origins and the local masters.