Pennabilli

Pennabilli

Piazza Montefeltro, 3-0541 928 411

The Episcopal city of Pennabilli, the religious capital of the Montefeltro and the seat of the Bishop of the Diocese of San Marino-Montefeltro, is situated on the western slopes of Mount Carpegna sloping towards the river Marecchia, to 629 mt.
Built on the rocky cliff and Roccione is a characteristic village with medieval. It owes its urban layout to the union of two ancient castles of Billi on Rupe and Penna on the Great Rock.

The territory round about has been inhabited since ancient times, seeing succession Umbrians, Etruscans and Romans, which they increased the ancient road on the valley floor and Vico Mass. But it is with the phenomenon of, around the year one thousand, the town developed. It becomes feud of the Carpegna, then Malatesta of which is probably the “cradle”, before it came down to family Verucchio and Rimini.
During 1300 the two independent municipalities of Penna and Billi come together, resulting in a single municipal entity, as depicted in the coat of arms if you see two towers topped by the eagle Montefeltro. At that time also it began the construction of the walls and city gates that mark the boundaries of the town today. In the same century the community Maciano joins that of Pennabilli, while Soanne passes to be part of the municipality of Pennabilli during the fifteenth century, forming the nucleus of the town.

Membership in the Duchy of Urbino Marche marks the fate of the center, creating that bond constant community Penne with the Montefeltro family first and then the Della Rovere.
In 1572 Gregory XIII transferred to San Leo the seat of the Diocese of Montefeltro, now called San Marino Montefeltro. The presence of the diocese strongly characterizes the town from the urban point of view: the Cathedral, the Shrine of St. Augustine with the memorial of Our Lady of Grace, the Augustinian Convent, the Church and the Hospital of Mercy, are cultural assets that still today we can admire.