Once upon a time there was a castle along the ancient Via Flaminia...

We could start this story like that but luckily that castle is still there.

During the construction of the road that from the heart of Rome reached today's Rimini, the Via Flaminia, the Romans built encampments, castrums, to settle.

One of these stood near Strettura, at the gates of Spoleto.

The tower of the camp then became a castle, already a feud of the noble Scelli family, descendants of Roman senators.

The narrow gorge of Strettura, close to the Somma mountain pass, was the perfect environment to hide brigands and malefactors: in the 13th century the Papal State that governed the city of Spoleto had to compensate a merchant from Florence who had been robbed to avoid a war with the Medici.

The road that linked the Papal State to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, in the 14th century was very frequented by merchants, was even considered "trafficked" in the summer months ("vallis stricture per i mercatores et alii transeuntes"

The security of the merchants was so important that Pope Boniface VIII had a barracks built near the Post Office for the change of horses (the Pope's Palace which still exists today) in the old Roman Castrum.

Thus were built the towers for the defense and control of the territory that gave the appearance of a real fortress that over the centuries has witnessed clashes and intrigues.

Used until the second half of the nineteenth century, the Castle was destroyed by a devastating earthquake and later rebuilt by the architect Giovanni Battista Bossi.

Today the ancient Castrum has been finely restored and is a resort with a country flavour offering a suggestive view of the valley, historic apartments, a restaurant with an ancient history where you can taste the excellent local cuisine and a delicious wellness centre. Click here to spend pleasant moments at the Castrum Resort.