Discover what to see in Piegaro
The village of Piegaro will fascinate you with its numerous views to admire and contemplate at length, places that will take you back in time to the origins of the village.
You’ll see the striking, mighty grandeur of Castello di Cibottola, which stands on top of a hill and towers over the Nestore river valley. Its heptagonal tower, which has now become a civic tower, is one of the most symbolic and quintessential sites in Piegaro, together with the mighty bell located inside. It’s amazing to ponder the fact that religious icons like St Francis of Assisi and St Anthony of Padua as well as powerful military figures such as Braccio Fortebracci da Montone used to walk around the castle walls. You’ll see the impressive remains of the city walls and the long underground tunnel that ran through the city and was probably used as an escape route in the distant past.
The towering position of the Castle also provides exhilarating views; from its elevated position you’ll be able to see and marvel at the whole valley with its magnificent colours.
Inside the complex you can see the Chiesa di San Fortunato, which houses a marvellous painting, the Madonna con il Bambino (Madonna with Child) framed by 15 frescoed panels depicting the 15 Mysteries of the Rosary, and a Medieval Well dating back to the 13th century that was entirely dug by hand and was essential to the inhabitants for centuries since it represented the only water source in the village. Another ancient religious site in the upper part of the village is the Chiesa di San Silvestro Papa, containing numerous 16th century artworks, including a tribute to Pope Sylvester in the apse, “l’imperatore Costantino in ginocchio davanti a Papa Silvestro” (the Emperor Constantine on bended knee in front of Pope Sylvester) and a long-venerated wooden depiction of Christ. Other churches worth seeing include the Chiesa della Madonna della Crocetta which was the seat of the Confraternity of Crocetta and was widely venerated and embellished over the centuries by the master glassmakers in thanks for the protection they received from the Madonna during the insidious processes of glassmaking.
Next to this church, continuing up the steps, you’ll see the Medieval Well, built between the 12th and 13th centuries; you can just imagine the groups of women who washed for the whole family there or the animals that stopped to drink after long days spent grazing in the nearby hills.
The historic centre of Piegaro will also amaze you with one of the most elegant and significant buildings in the whole village, the Palazzo Misciattelli-Pallavicini. Once the municipio (town hall), it is now a prestigious period residence. Its construction dates back to the 18th century when it belonged to the Pallavicini family, which also owned the renowned Vetreria piegaresi glassworks.
Outside the historic centre, not far from the Castle of Cibottola on the lush green hills of Piegaro stand the ruins of a fascinating ancient site, the Convento Francescano di San Bortolomeo. It was here, surrounded by nature, that the devotees of St Francis and St Anthony of Padua spent time together with other great religious figures and different religious orders. It’s fascinating to see the remains of the convent and relive the solemn spirituality of the past.