Maiolo

The curious and fascinating fortress known as Maioletto is easy to spot from even the most isolated part of the valley.

It stands on a “raft” of rock that separates it from the land below. The current village however is not visible as it is located nearby, in a place called Serra; it replaced and inherited the name of the ancient castle destroyed one night in the 18th century under a terrible landslide. This was preceded by 40 hours of uninterrupted rain; an event that has always intrigued geologists and historians. Until then, Maiolo had been a bustling and flourishing village, overlooked by an imposing fortress that was a strategic site for the entire valley, which was damaged by an explosion in a powder storeroom. The fruit of popular beliefs and vivid imaginations this was said to be divine punishment for the “angel’s dance” practiced there. Although nothing remains of the castle, there are two polygonal towers from the original fortress that close the curtain wall along which an elegant stone cable runs.

The views from here are unprecedented, further confirmation of its former defensive role. The nearest town is San Leo and the capture of Maiolo was indispensible for laying siege to its fortress; indeed, Maiolo was closely linked to the town in the violent battles between the Montefeltro and Malatesta. It was not spared by history even in later years when documents regarding its history were destroyed in a fire at the municipal archives in 1737. Dotted with ravines, there are numerous old farmhouses in the countryside and attempts have been made to save their bread ovens.

The area has thus become famous for its bread, produced using local flours and traditional methods and celebrated in a Bread Festival in June. Maiolo offers visitors the chance to take a journey through thousands of years of history and nature, seducing thanks to its beauty and extraordinary views, which span from Mount Fumaiolo to the Alpe della Luna, Mount Carpegna, the city of San Leo, the towers that crown Mount Titano and the castles of San Marino, as far as the Adriatic.