ITINERARI - SANTARCANGELO DI ROMAGNA


Historical notes

Santarcangelo is a magic village with its noble and mysterious atmosphere, its centuries-old history, its millenary places like the Pieve (parish church), the tangle of tunnels that pierce its hill, its being the capital of dialect poetry and old traditions, its events and old fairs, like that of San Michele (September) and San Martino (November). A lot of places deserve a visit: its elegant churches the beautiful Ganganelli square, the tiny lanes of the old village,

the Malatesta Castle, the Grottoes, the Armband Ball and Tamburello Games Museum, and the Ethnographic Museum of the People and Customs of Romagna.


Curiosities
Santarcangelo…a special place
Santarcangelo is a special place; it is 7 kms from the sea, 20 kms from Cesena, 10 kms from Rimini, and it is easily attainable from anywhere. Its name derives from Saint Michael Archangel, but since 1862, in order to distinguish it from other places, its name has been written in full. It grew around the Pieve (the Parish), its oldest monument, but the Barbarian invasions forced it to move up to the hill named Monte Giove, from which it developed downhill and formed today’s Santarcangelo. Its position half on the hill and half on the plain, and its noble and popular double soul of its inhabitants make it a special place. But it owes a lot to its monuments, its mysterious grottoes, its traditions, its wonderful cuisine, its people and its fairs, that, attracting thousands of people, have contributed to launch the tourist image of this city.

Events and Fairs
About Santarcangelo fairs, some written evidence dates back to 1272, while others trace their origins to the Romans. The oldest fair is certainly the “Birds’ Fair” (Septesvolge nel weekend intorno all'11 novembre (giorno di San Martino), ed i suoi tratti autentici, legati alla cultura contadina sono ancora oggi conservati: l'enorme mercato degli ambulanti, l'esposizione delle macchine agricole, il luna park, gli spettacoli, i cmber 29th), while the most important is “San Martino Fair”. This grand fair attracts thousands of visitors on and about November 11th (Saint Martin) with its still authentic country characteristics: the huge street market, the agricultural machines exhibition, the Funfair, the Shows, the Ballad-singers and the meetings and exhibitions dedicated to food. It is the fair of roasted chicken, of wine and, above all, of the Piadina (local thin bread). The “Palio of the Piadina” is a contest where, under a marquee equipped with bread boards, burners and ingredients, old and not so old men and women challenge each other to prepare Romagna’s bread. However, even though food reigns here, Saint Martin fair is also the bec (cuckold) fair, proof of which is focused in a winking and provocative symbol: a pair of horns hanging from Clemente XIV’s Arch in Santarcangelo central square.