MONTEBELLO CASTLE
Continuing on for just over two kilometres, you'll come to the ancient and picturesque village of Montebello, situated on the top of a steep hill (436 m above sea level).
In Roman times it was known as mons belli, that is to say, "the hill of war". Initially it was a Roman look out tower, although in the following centuries this military base developed into a barracks taking on the appearance of a feudal fort. In the past, the Fortress belonged alternately to the Malatesta and Guidi families and consists of a number of different sections constructed at various times between the XI and XVI centuries.
Today it belongs to the Guidi family of Bagno di Romagna, known as the Marquises of Montebello. As a national monument, in the last ten years it has become one of the most visited castles in the province of Rimini. Its popularity is perhaps also due to the strange stories of ghosts which are said to inhabit the richly furnished rooms inside the Medieval walls. In fact, the castle is locally known as the Castle of Azzurrina, the ghost child who tragically disappeared along those long dark corridors and who is said to have lived here ever since, making an appearance every five years during the summer solstice.
The castle is open to the public during the summer period and at weekends throughout the year. The Night time Tours, known as "mystery tours" set out at midnight, just the right time for meeting Azzurrina and her friends. Within the fortress itself there is the Armoury of Albana which serves wines and tasty dishes either in its elegant little rooms or outside in its pleasant garden.
In the small village you can find the characteristic Pacini restaurant which offers an emporium of natural products and a wonderful panoramic terrace from which you can survey all the castles of the valley and the surrounding area.
AZZURRINA, THE MISTERY UNCOVERED
In 1375 "Mons belli" belonged to the Malatesta family. Ugolinuccio Malatesta, the then lord of Montebello and father of Guendalina, was away in battle and had placed his daughter in the care of his two trusty guards. But how did it come about that such a small young girl (between six and eight years of age) was left in the Castle of Montebello, at that time a fortress resembling a military barracks, with just two armed men for company ? Guendalina was in fact an albino child, and thus had very light skin, hair and eyes; white as snow. In the Medieval period, such characteristics were believed to belong to the devil, as it was said that only witches had white or red hair.
Thus, the girl's parents tried to protect her by hiding her unusual appearance from the malevolent eyes of the world by dyeing her hair and isolating her in the fortress of Montebello, surrounded by obedient and faithful people.
The strange blue effect that the vegetable dye gave her hair and her pale blue eyes, earned her the nickname Azzurrina (little blue girl). As previously said, the child lived in the castle under the protection of her father who was away in battle. T
he summer solstice arrived bringing with it a strong thunderstorm and Azzurrina was confined to playing inside the castle, under the constant watch of her two guards.
The child was amusing herself with a ball made out of rags which she rolled along the corridors and stair cases, until it fell down into the underground stores where the food was kept. Obviously the little girl ran after her ball down the long and narrow steps that led to the ice store.
The two guards, knowing that the corridor led to a dead end were not overly worried and let her go after it. Everything happened in a flash: the sound of running, a cry and the little girl disappeared forever. The guards, hearing her shout, ran down the steps but found no trace of her. She had disappeared into thin air and was never found again. The Malatesta family was devastated and, like many others over the centuries, did not believe the story, condemning the two guards, the only witnesses of the mysterious tragedy, to death.
That the strange disappearance of Guendalina Malatesta is not simply a made-up story is testified in a seventeenth century chronicle kept in the ancient library of the castle which refers to the event. This was how the legend of Azzurrina began and since 1375 her lovely, playful spirit has continued to live throughout the rooms of the castle of Montebello, today property of the Guidi Marquises of Bagno. We have heard echoes of her crying and laughter in recordings made by television companies using ultra-sensitive microphones both in 1990 and 1995 in the empty castle with locked doors. So, the voice of Azzurrina continues to make itself heard even today, attracting us with her intriguing mystery and drawing us into the walls of her castle. The latter has now become a national monument and was looked after from 1989 until 1998 by Prof. Welleda Villa Tiboni, who unfortunately passed away recently.
The last chatelaine of Montebello, as those who knew her liked to call her, was also the last guardian of the hidden secret behind the disappearance of Azzurrina, of which we can finally unveil the mystery. . The official version of the story, the one we all know, is the version that was offered us by the only two witnesses of the tragedy, the two soldiers responsible for guarding the child.
This is the story which has been told to those visiting the castle since it became a monument of national interest and unusual attraction, thanks to the fascinating stories preserved within its interesting ancient walls. For six centuries these walls have held the secret of that tragic day. A few years ago, a particularly prestigious medium, during a sitting held in the castle in the presence of all those responsible for the ancient Guidi family residence, made contact with the spirit of Azzurrina, who finally recounted what actually happened. It was an accident. Guendalina in running after her rag ball, fell down the stairs and died. The two guards realised too late and found the body of the girl already lifeless. They were shocked at the outcome of their negligence and being responsible for the safety of the daughter of their lord feared terrible punishment or perhaps death itself, so they hid the body, burying it in the garden and then telling everyone the famous and un-explainable version of the legendary disappearance.
The incredible thing is that the two unlucky men were killed and took the terrible blame to the grave with them. How many people at the time cried for the disappearance of the blue-haired child and how many still get upset when they hear her sad story ? However, Azzurrina said she was happy and wanted to carry on living in her beloved Castle of Montebello, together with her friends of both yesterday and today. Let's leave her to rest in peace under the green lawn that was once her garden and let's leave her to live for eternity in the rooms that were, for a short time, her home; blue guardian angel of the village of Montebello.
The following are some possible trips from Cattolica:
