Overview
Situated in the hinterland of the Apennines, today the village of Sassocorvaro is reflected in the waters of the artificial lake of Mercatale and is surrounded by a gentle, soft hilly landscape. What most represents the soul and history of the village is the Rocca Ubaldinesca, a fortification that stands at the centre of the town and was built by Francesco di Giorgio Martini, an architect and military engineer in the service of Duke Federico da Montefeltro. The fortress, a national monument, has a very particular tortoise-shaped plan and was designed with this strange shape to resist attacks by the bombard, the "new" weapon of the time. But the history of the fortress does not end here: during the Second World War it was used to hide important works of art from German raids, and this episode inspired the event "Arca dell'Arte - Premio Rotondi" (Ark of Art - Rotondi Prize), which each year awards prizes to the "contemporary saviours" of the most significant works of human art.
61028 Sassocorvaro PU, Italia
