Descrizione
Set amongst the hills of the Montefeltro, along the road leading from Macerata Feltria towards Carpegna, stands the parish church of San Cassiano in Pitino, a silent guardian of the 11th century. Ancient documents mention it, confirming its importance: papal bulls, noble wills and ecclesiastical chronicles weave the narrative of its significance within the religious and social fabric.
The Parish Church of San Cassiano and ancient Pitinum
Its naves, punctuated by solemn columns, have welcomed the faithful over the centuries, along with a 15th-century statue of Saint Sebastian – a marble testament to devotion and art – now veiled by the restorers’ cloths. This ancient bastion of the sacred has its roots in the dawn of Christianity, when the voices of the 5th and 6th centuries echoed within its walls, rising above the ashes of an era ravaged by invasions. The 16th century saw the parish church undergo a transformation, with the Romanesque apse giving way to more spacious forms and windows opening up to new light.
Traces etched into time tell of a constant evolution. The parish church, now awakened from a centuries-long slumber thanks to meticulous restoration work, reveals long-buried secrets: early medieval floors and fragments of sculptures that once adorned the altar. It is as though every stone, every fragment, tells a story. The Byzantine tower stands watch, discreet and primordial, enchanting visitors. An ancient sentinel against barbarian raids, it still reveals its narrow staircase and steps smoothed by use, a reminder of a past in which safety was a precious and rare commodity.
Outside, adjacent to the medieval parish church, archaeological excavations have revealed a large Roman-era paved area, previously interpreted as the main road (Decumano Massimo) that ran east-west through Pitinum Pisaurense. Large, sturdy walls, shards of pottery, fragments of monochrome red ceramics, numerous mosaics and coins suggest the probable presence of ancient thermal baths with their aqueducts, tepidaria and drainage systems. This is the actual archaeological site, the place where the remains of the ancient Roman city have been unearthed.
