Province of Pesaro-Urbino
SERRA SANT’ABBONDIO PESARO
URBINO ANCONA
SERRA SANT’ABBONDIO
MACERATA
FERMO
ASCOLI PICENO
Inhabitants1125 Altitude 536 m ASL Surface 31,7 sq km Distance from Pesaro 75 km from Urbino 40 km
i Town hall: Phone: +39 0721.730120 Mountain Community Phone: +39 0721.735701 www.comune. serrasantabbondio.pu.it comune.serra@provincia.ps.it
The territory has been inhabited since the Iron Age. Even before the village was founded in the 13th century, a Serra “closed place” and a Church dedicated to St. Abbondio were already there. Serra Sant’Abbondio was founded by the Municipality (Comune) of Gubbio in the 13th century and became a strategic place for the control and the defence of the shortest, yet impassable passage between Umbria and the Adriatic Coast. Serra Sant’Abbondio’s history from the 14th century is part of the history of the Dukedom of Urbino, that finally incorporated it into its territories in 1348.
WORTH VISITING The modern urban frame work still preserves the medieval structure, including two of the WHERE TO STAY four original gates: Porta SanHOTELS ta with Tower and Porta di MaCAMPSITES cione, both of them dating from HOLIDAY VILLAGES the 13th century. Also to be COUNTRY HOUSES seen are the 14th century APARTMENT RENTALS Church of St. Maria della CaROOMS TO RENT l nale, containing frescoes by FARM HOLIDAYS the Umbrian School; the Crypt BED & BREAKFAST of St. Biagio, built in the 4th (or CARAVAN SITES l 5th) century, using Roman reYOUTH HOSTELS mains; the splendid Hermitage MOUNTAIN DEWS l of Santa Croce di Fonte Avellana, (its building started around the year 1000), including a Church with Crypt, a bell tower, cloister, chapterhouse, scriptorium, monks cells, guest quarters and the “D. Alighieri” Library, with more than 10,000
ancient volumes. The Hermitage, mentioned by Dante Alighieri in the 21st Canto of Paradiso is a place for study and contemplation, founded in 980 by St. Romuald and developed by St. Pier Damiani. A Camaldolese Benedectine monks community manages the Hermitage today. SOMETHING MORE TO DISCOVER An old tradition records that Dante was hosted in the Hermitage of Fonte Avellana after 1310. About 300 hundred metres off the hermitage, you will find a spot allowing you to hear the mountain echoing an entire hendecasyllable. In the past Serra Sant’Abbondio was called Serra Sant’Onda, maybe due to its fascinating landscape. WORTH TASTING Worth tasting are the “crescia” with ham and wild green vegetables, tagliatelle, ravioli, cappelleti, polenta, wild game, wild boar, mushrooms, truffle, “castagnole” (Carnival fried cakes) and jam tarts. WORTH DISCOVERING The splendid flora of Fonte Avellana includes downy oaks, beeches, oaks, chestnut trees, hazelnut tree (“avellana”is the historic name for “Hazel nut”) and a famous century-old yew. The Hermitage, sited at the foot of the Mount Catria, is the departure point of several
trekking tours, winding amid beech, oak and hazelnut groves. Many of the mentioned tracks (e.g. Sentiero Italia and Sentiero Piergiorgio Frassati) are included in the circuit of Trekking dei Fuochi. DON’T MISS OUT Sacra rappresentazione della Passione di Gesù (Sacred representation of the Passion of Christ) - Palm Sunday; Festa paesana (Village Festival) in Petrara - second Sunday in July; Sagra della trippa (tripe Festival) in Poggetto - first Sunday in August; Festa della Madonna della Neve (Feast of the Madonna of Snow) in Montevecchio - 5th August; Festa d’estate (Summer Festival) 14th/15th August; Palio della Rocca - Sunday before the 16th of September; Fiera di S. Abbondio (Fair of St. Abbondio) 16th September; Cena del Poeta (Poet’s dinner) - last Saturday in November.