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Piazza Martiri della Libertà in Poggio Mirteto: the “Drawing Room” of the Sabina region
Piazza Martiri della Libertà is the beating heart of Poggio Mirteto, the historic chief town of the Sabina. Covering approximately 5,000 square metres, it is the largest square in the region — a rarity for a medieval village. Its irregular shape is no accident: from the 17th century onwards, it was decided not to build more dwellings in the centre, leaving an open space that today functions as an urban “drawing room”. The war memorial at the centre, inaugurated on 9 August 1926, is the work of architect Balestrieri.
The Buildings Around It
The town’s principal monuments look onto the square. To the west stands the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (St Mary of the Assumption), with its Baroque fired brick façade. Opposite, higher up, stands the Church of San Rocco (St Roch), built in 1779 on an axis with the Porta Farnese — a deliberate scenographic effect. On the eastern side stands the Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall), with its façade in faux travertine executed in the early 20th century using a curious technique: coarse salt crystals embedded in the mortar, which dissolve to leave cavities resembling those of real stone.
A Square Born Outside the Walls
The foundations for the present layout were laid in 1610. The town was growing, and space was needed: the square came into being as an expansion beyond the medieval walls. In 1893, the road surface was levelled, and the retaining wall towards the Rio Sole was built. This marks the beginning of the Museo Diffuso della Resistenza Laziale (Lazio Resistance Museum), a 10-kilometre trail that passes through the sites of the partisan struggle, reaching as far as Monte Tancia.
