During my day trip around the Romagna region of Italy, we stopped at the 13th century medieval village of Petrella Guidi. Located about six kilometers from Sant’Agata Feltria, the small village (and by small, I mean small) isn’t far from nearby Pennabilli.

The Petrella Guidi village and castle dates as far back as the Middle Ages when it was a fortified hillside town governed by a noble faction. Throughout history, the medieval village passed through many different noble families. The original castle of Petrella Guidi was surrounded by two walls—both of which can still be seen.

Today, Petrella Guidi is a bit of a historical hideaway. It was “re-discovered” and renovated so that it could be recreated as the medieval village it once was. It’s a good representation of what other 13th century castles of similar sizes would have looked like. Walking through the town was a bit like stepping back into history. It’s a bit of a quirky place because everything looks so pretty and pristine, but then you remember that much of these buildings are quite old.

Petrella Guidi memorial to Fellini

There’s even a monument and memorial to that famous Italian director Federico Fellini and his wife Giulietta Masina. Why is their a memorial at Petrella Guidi? Well, the director allegedly spent many days sitting on top of the hillside village of Petrella Guidi enjoying the view of the Romagna countryside. The memorial was initiated by Tonino Guerra, an Italian screenwriter who co-wrote many of the Fellini films.

Guerra (who recently passed away) created the memorial because Fellini had apparently confided into him that when he died, Fellini wanted to be buried somewhere in a field of grass with a bench nearby for those people that want to keep him company. So in 1994, Guerra arranged for this memorial and monument to Federico Fellini.

My visit to the medieval town of Petrella Guidi was during my stay at the Emilia-Romagna Blogville apartment and was part of my tour there. More information can be found on the Emilia-Romagna tourism website.

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