Visit to Castelplanio

On the left bank of the Esino river is the ancient medieval castle, or Castelplanio, an ancient village stopped in time. Castelplanio is one of the richest in history of the Val d'Esina, located upstream, it is made up of four hamlets; Piaggie, Macine, Pozzetto and Borgoloreto. The economy of the municipality is mainly agricultural, today there are many companies operating in the agri-food sector. We know of the castle that as early as 1283 it became part of the Esina orbit, and that from the end of the 12th century there were two settlements, one dependent on the abbey of San Benedetto and a fortified place where the present Castelplanio will rise. Our tour begins from the height, with a visit to the ancient abbey of San Benedetto di Frondigliosi with its cloister that preserves the original features. We move to the Borgo Loreto district, the symbolic place of Castelplanio, dominated by the Margherita Tower, the bell tower of its church. In Rome, in the Vatican rooms, we find maps depicting Castelplanio with the old name; 'ostaria', this is because there was an accommodation here for the change of horses leaving from Rome. The old room where the animals rested remains from that period. The castle walls built following the destruction of 1444 embrace the historic center and outside these, it is possible to visit the other bell tower of the church of San Sebastiano. Not far from the historic center it is possible to visit an ancient tower house, and, nearby, the Palazzo Fossa Mancini, seat of the civic museum, which contains one of the very first models of 1898 adder.