Fortress of San Leo, San Leo

The Fortress of San Leo (Fortezza San Leo) is a huge impregnable medieval fort in a small town of the same name. It stands on top of the cliff and for many years was a reliable stronghold for the rulers of San Leo. Today it is just an amazing monument that completes a beautiful picture of the architectural ensemble of a medieval town. It houses own museums and is related to a famous person.

History of the fortress

The hilltop towering above the area had always drawn the attention of the visionary town planners and military commanders. The first fortifications were built by the ancient Romans. After the empire fell, the fortress was rebuilt several times by Byzantines, Goths, Franks and Lombards.

In the 11th century, a settlement in the Montefeltro region, whose center was San Leo and the fortress itself, was taken over by the Counts of Montecopiolo who also fortified the construction. All in all, no matter how impregnable it seemed, it was seized by count’s opponents – the Malatesta family. However, later the owners regained the control over the place. Then in 1411 the young Duke of Urbino, Federigo da Montefeltro, modernized the fortress significantly in terms of defensive potential. The project was carried out by the famous military engineer Francesco di Giorgio. But in 1502 the fort was captured once again, however, it stayed that way only for a year. In 1527, it came into ownership of the ducal family of Della Rovere, then in 1631, it became the property of the Holy See.

After that, the fortress finally lost its strategic importance and was turned into a prison where political prisoners and heretics served their sentences. Nothing changed until 1906. During 1906–1914 an infantry battalion was residing in here. Today the fortress is beautifully restored and serves as a prime example of Renaissance military architecture.

Museums in San Leo Castle

The fortress consists of two quite different parts: the square towers and living quarters which are older as well as the round towers and the powerful walls connecting them which are pretty new. It is a bastion, perfect from a military point of view. Today the place can boast various collections of several museums located within its territory:

• Weapons Museum. Its exhibition begins at the very entrance to the fortress and continues in the numerous rooms inside. The collection includes a great number of firearms, such as pistols, rifles, submachine guns, machine guns, and even artillery pieces. Most of them date back to World War II.
• Tools of torture exhibition. Now, this is a collection of older and sophisticated tools once used to help with prisoner interrogations during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. This is, however, not the place for faint hearts.

Famous prisoners

At a time when the fortress was a prison, prisoners could not escape it. Well, unless you jump on the rocks, in which case you will find both death and freedom.

• The name of Alessandro Cagliostro appears among the most famous prisoners, the famous adventurer and alchemist of the 18th century. He himself was called by different names and titles. However, in 1789 he was arrested by the Vatican and tried on charges of heresy and blackmailing. In 1791, he was sent to the prison of San Leo, where he was kept in a cramped cell with a single door placed in the ceiling. That’s where he died on August 26, 1795, and three days later he was buried at the highest point of the western rock.
• The revolutionary Felice Orsini was another famous local prisoner. He was sent to the prison of San Leo in 1844 on charges of preparing riots and rebellion. He was supposed to serve a life sentence, but after 2 years he was pardoned by the newly elected Pope Pius IX.

How to get

The fortress is located in the town of San Leo, on Via Dei Cacciatori, in the province of Rimini, near the border with San Marino. Getting to an impregnable fortress is just as difficult as it once was to take over it, but the visit is worth it., You need to take the bus № 160 from the bus station of Rimini to the Novafeltria commune, but you also have to get off the transport a little earlier, at the CA Rosello stop in the Secchiano area. From there you can get to the fort either by taxi or on foot. The distance is about 7 kilometers. If you are traveling by car, then from Rimini, you need to drive along the SP258 highway and keep traveling to the same commune. Secchiano is the point where you have to take a turn to the bridge over the Marecchia and drive through Via S. Leo to the fortress.

Opening hours: the place welcomes visitors from April to September from 9:30 to 18:45 every day. The ticket office closes at 18:00. Contact number for booking: (+39) 0541 926967 or (+39) 800 553800.

Admission: the price of the full ticket is 9 euros, reduced one (for visitors aged 14–25 and over 65 years) – 6 euros, children aged 6–14 years will have to pay 4 euros. Group ticket (over 15 people) will cost 5 euros per person. The information about admission and opening hours may be changed.