Castiglione della Valle
History of the Castle and Church of San Giovanni Battista
Castiglione della Valle is an ancient Umbrian village located on a hill overlooking the valleys of Nestore and Caina streams. In 1163, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa confirmed the ownership of the castle to the Benedictines of San Pietro di Perugia. Later, the castle was attacked and damaged by the condottiere Braccio Fortebraccio in 1411 and passed into his hands in 1416. Throughout the centuries, the church of San Giovanni Battista was contested among the various factions that ruled Perugia. Castiglione was the birthplace of Riccardo Tenerini, a partisan from Perugia who fought during World War II, and friar Alessandro Brustenghi, who became a tenor of religious songs.
Society and Culture
Currently, Castiglione della Valle has 542 residents and is still an area untouched by cement construction, located at the intersection between the state roads Pieve and Orvietana. The village hosts the Palio dei Somari, a traditional event that takes place every year in the last week of August and the first week of September. During the Palio, four districts compete in various races that culminate in the donkey race. The four districts are Baldami, Torre, Casenuove, and Stazione.
Art and Monuments
The village of Castiglione della Valle is rich in monuments and artistic places. The castle has an impressive circular structure, fortified by walls and towers, of which one is adapted as a bell tower. The 15th-century church of Santa Maria del Fosso houses important frescoes from the 15th and 16th centuries by an unknown painter of the school of Tiberio d'Assisi, located behind the altar. In the town square, stands the parish church of San Giovanni Battista, rebuilt in 1892 in the eclectic Romanesque-Gothic style of Leonine churches, the work of the Perugian architect Nazareno Biscarini, with decorative elements in terracotta. The church also houses the Madonna dei Miracoli from 1531, of the school of Benedetto Bonfigli. In the surrounding area of Castiglione, there is a fifteenth-century chapel of the Crucifix, with the Christ on the Cross from the 16th century and an anonymous ex-voto from 1554.
The Palio dei Somari
The Palio dei Somari is a traditional event that takes place every year in Castiglione della Valle. The race involves four districts: Baldami, Torre, Casenuove, and Stazione. From 1980 to 1985, the Palio was regularly held, then interrupted until 2003 when the villagers decided to resume the event. The Palio takes place in the last week of August and the first week of September. The winner of the last two editions was the Casenuove district in 2007 and the Stazione district in 2008. With 6 victories, the Baldami district holds the record of successes, followed by Torre with 3 and Casenuove and Stazione with 2.
Overall, Castiglione della Valle is a place that offers many opportunities for discovery and culture. The village has an ancient charm that can be appreciated through its monuments and local traditions.
