Descrizione
A small church, a house and an imposing set of walls: this is all that remains of Castelgagliardo, an ancient Malatesta castle whose foundation dates back to the 14th century.
Anyone visiting Isola del Piano simply must stop off at these evocative sites, which offer a breathtaking view stretching from Mount Catria to the Adriatic Sea and across the entire Metauro valley.
Castelgagliardo, in fact, was of crucial importance due to its strategic position across the entire territory of the municipalities of Isola del Piano and Montefelcino. There are no precise records regarding the date of its foundation, nor the identity of its founder: it is likely that a Provençal feudal family, the Galharts (from whom the name ‘Castelgagliardo’ derives), settled in this hilly area – now steeped in silence and tranquillity – around the year 1000.
Over the years, the castle grew in importance, so much so that it is mentioned in various 14th-century documents, such as the *Codex diplomaticus*, the *Descriptio Marchiae Anconitanae* and the *Costitutiones Aegidianae*.
Among the notable figures from Castelgagliardo, one in particular stands out: Maestro Andrea, a doctor practising in Pesaro, whose name is linked to the fact that the ancient church here, that of Santa Maria del Carmine, was dedicated to Saint Andrew. At the end of the 18th century, Castelgagliardo lost its status as a municipality, probably due to its small population (there were just 321 inhabitants in 1656), and was annexed to Isola del Piano. The church dedicated to Santa Maria del Carmine remains the stronghold and symbol of the castle; it consists of a single nave with three altars, at the centre of which stands a painting depicting the Madonna and Child, at whose feet we find Saint Thomas and Monsignor Simone Stock, an Englishman and General of the Carmelite Order. The latter was the protagonist of a remarkable story: it is said, in fact, that the Virgin Mary appeared to him in a vision in which she promised that anyone who died whilst wearing the Carmelite habit would be saved.
In the hamlet of Castelgagliardo stands ‘La Fattoria della Legalità’, a facility and organisation housed in the first property confiscated from the Mafia in the Marche region, which was subsequently transferred to the Municipality of Isola del Piano. Promoted by Libera, this ‘home of the social anti-Mafia movement’ has taken on the role of a centre for training and promoting a culture of legality, serving the whole region and young people in particular, whilst numerous activities also involve the general public.
