Our friend Max leads us to visit the imposing fortress and the medieval village, surrounded by a double bailey, placed on the Gradara hill at the borders between Marche and Romagna.

We titled the special with Dante’s words, because the story tells that the lovers Paolo and Francesca were killed by Giangiotto Malatesta, Francesca’s husband, just here.
Dante placed them in the second circle of his Inferno (5th Canto), where sins of lust are punished.

Gradara certainly deserves a visit for the fortress and the village but also for the landscapes, with the views over the sea and the hills

A bit of history:

The fortress was built at half 11th century by the De Griffo family.
When the family fell from Papacy grace, the fortress was entrusted to Malatesta da Verucchio (called Mastin Vecchio), founder of the Malatesta family.
Between 13th and 14th century the Malatesta built the double bailey.
In 1445 Galeazzo Malatesta sold the fortress to Francesco Sforza for 20.000 gold florins.
But Sigismondo Malatesta refused to hand it over and to give back the money, so causing the siege directed by the Sforza and his ally the duke Federico da Montefeltro.
The bad weather and the arrival of backup troops forced Francesco Sforza to raise the siege.
After the Sigismondo’s excommunication, on behalf of the Papacy the duke Federico da Montefeltro conquered Gradara which afterward was ruled by several families.
In 1641 Gradara passed under the direct rule of the Papal State and form then began its decay.
The ruined fortress was acquired by the Zanvettori family and Umberto Zanvettori financed the restoration of the stronghold, of the walls and of the village giving them the former glory.
In 1928 the fortress passed to Italian State.

For more info:
wikipedia: Gradara
wikipedia: Castello di Gradara
www.gradara.org
www.castellodigradara.org

Thanks to our friend Massimo for the permission of publishing his images