Turismo Amelia

collicello
COLLICELLO

This characteristic castle stands on a wooded hill from which its name derives. For centuries, Collicello was the most distant Amelian bastion for resisting the nearby domains of Todi. In fact just a few hundred metres away are the remains of Canale Castle, an ancient stronghold of the Chiaravalle family from Todi. Collicello is one of Amelia’s most intact forts for its Medieval appearance, as there are very few modern buildings in the vicinity. In 1342 Collicello came under Amelian control by a pledge of loyalty requested by Giordano Orsini, Rector of the Church Estate. In 1404 Amelia had a stronghold built inside the walls of Collicello, to defend it more securely against the expansionist threats of the Chiaravalle family, but in 1460, the Chiaravallesi attacked the castle and a part of it was burnt down. To better defend Collicello, the Municipality of Amelia set up a garrison with one hundred “verrettoni” (metal-shafted weapons thrown by hand or shot by crossbow) and a cannon that could launch a thirty-pound cannon ball. The following year (1461), during a brief absence of the Amelian defence, the Chiaravalle furiously descended on Collicello and destroyed it. A historian named Monsignor Di Tommaso thus described the terrible event: “When, towards the end of November, the Chiaravallesi took advantage of the absence of most of the defenders of Collicello, who came to Amelia for provisions and victuals, they invaded that castle with great military strenght, and battled their way into the houses, covering the valiant defenders in wounds. A few men climbed up onto a very high, well-fortified tower next to the walls of the castle, to strike the invaders. The Chiaravallesi furiously entered through walls of the houses that had survived the first fire, and set them aflame; only seven withstood”. Retalliation was at once organised by the Amelians in 1462, with Papal troops led by Raffaele Caymo. A battle was waged against the Chiaravalle who were badly defeated near their own Canale Castle which in turn was dismantled upon orders from Pope Pius 2nd. Today, Collicello’s walls are still well-preserved, as is the entrance with the external arch ringed in ashlar stones, the eight beautiful towers one of which faces the ruined Canale Castle. Of interest are the frescoes in the Parish Church of St. John the Evangelist: in the bay of the apse the painter Benedetto Cascianelli from Todi has depicted in 1948 The Madonna with beneath a View of Collicello with St. Michael the Archangel and St. John the Evangelist at the sides. In the countryside, just outside the village stands the little Church called Madonna of Graces with a fine ribbed bell tower. The church houses a decoration articulated by frames containing frescoes where countryside landscapes stand, within figures of Saints, incorrectly referred to the Renaissance Age and that date back to first half of the 17th century due to the presencce of San Carlo Borromeo (Arona 1538 – Milano 1584), who was canonized in 1610. Some pleasant trips may be made from Collicello: going up from the village among the woods, a few hundred meters away are the remains of Canale Castle. On the street of Galisciano (or Gallisciano), after about a mile you reach the ruins of the convent of San Francesco, with an adjacent chapel and a cave, called “Grotta di San Francesco” in honour of St. Francis (Assisi 1182-1226) who loved to retire to the solitude of these kinds of spot, in the middle of the incontamined nature.