Bertinoro and the Spungone

The Spungone, as it is called in the local dialect, is the stone of marine origin on which Bertinoro is built. Poor and simple stone which takes on beautiful shades of pink at sunrise and sunset. For centuries, it has been the main material used for the most important buildings of the town.

Plunging into the spungone itinerary will let you experience an extremely important value for the local community: the will of never giving up with beauty in its immediate and bare simplicity. The spungone is the only witness which can truly tell Bertinoro's unique history.

Useful Information

Tourist Office Opening Hours: from Monday to Friday 8.30 am-2.30 pm
tuesday and thursday 2.30 pm-6.30 pm
from may to october open also on saturday and Sunday

Interfaith Museum: Opening hours to the public: Fri, Sat, Sun, 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM. From 15/6 to 15/9, Tuesday to Sunday, 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM. During the week and in the morning, for school groups or parties with mandatory reservation (min. 4 people). For information and reservations: 0543/423499 - info@museointerreligioso.it

The Cathedral: can be visited during the week by making a request to the tourist office

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Points of interest

Castle

The fortress is first mentioned in ancient documents dating back to before the year one thousand. It was undoubtedly built for defensive purposes, as it clings to the rock spurs of the Spungone and symbolizes a perfect symbiosis between architecture and nature.

University Residential Centre

Part of the magnificent fortress, it is a highly technological congress centre, built with the use of innovative technologies and respect for the environment. A unique location for higher education courses, congresses and workshops.

Interfaith Museum

Authentic cultural jewel located inside the fortress and unique meeting place perfectly in line with the openness and the dialogue and exchange traditions of the town.

Porta del Soccorso (Relief Gateway)

Beautifully isolated, like it used to be when it served as one of the main town accessways, the Relief Gateway ows its name to the military help provided by the countess Aldruda di Frangipane to the besieged city of Ancona.

Monte dei Preti Trail

Starting beside Porta del Soccorso (Relief Gate), this narrow trail, surrounded by silence, runs along some parts of the defensive walls made in spungone, offering a breathtaking view on the surrounding hills.

Three Saints Gateway

Ancient gateway to the town, it takes its name from the legend of the three Breton Pilgrims who stopped in Bertinoro founding a housing settlement, and from whom Bertinoro probably derives its name.

Badia Abbey

Mentioned even before the year one thousand among the most important monasteries of the Romagna area and totally renovated after the bombings of the Second World War, it hosts the convent of the Franciscan missionary nuns.

San Francesco Gateway

The Porta San Francesco, together with Porta dei Tre Santi and Porta San Domenico, was once one of the points of access to the town. It was pulled down in the early 20th century.

Ancient walls

The defensive walls, of Byzantine origin, have today become the parapet of the little alley close to the town below.

Palazzo Ordelaffi

Located in the main square of the town, Palazzo Ordelaffi - now the Town Hall - with its eight impressive Roman Byzantine columns built in Spungone stone, has been a witness to the historical events of the town for over seven centuries.

Former Diocesan Seminary

Built in the early 18th century for the Corpus Domini Benedictine monks, it then became seat of Bertinoro's Bishop Seminary and hosts nowadays the hall of residence of the University Residential Centre.