Ufficio Turistico, via XX Settembre

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An itinerary designed to ensure you don’t miss a single one of Apecchio’s most beautiful and interesting vistas.
Starting from the famous humpback bridge, you will cross the entire historic village before arriving at a relaxing tree-lined avenue in the upper part of the town.

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Tour Guide Daniela Rossi Mobile +39 333 3886193 (WhatsApp available) info@guideturisticheurbino.it www.guideturisticheurbino.it

Medieval Humpback Bridge

13th century

The medieval humpback bridge spans the Biscubio stream and is perhaps Apecchio’s most iconic monument, one of a kind in the province of Pesaro and Urbino. It served as the arrival point for the roads leading into Apecchio from the surrounding area. A document from the late 14th century attests to its existence, stating that it had been partially damaged as an act of war by the Tifernati (the inhabitants of Città di Castello). While no earlier records exist, it is highly possible that the structure predates the year 1000. The bridge is built from local sandstone and features a distinctive humpback shape, a design in which each semi-arch leans against the other to ensure the stability of the entire structure. In the past, at the crest of the bridge, stood a small shrine featuring a highly revered fresco of the Madonna del Ponte (Madonna of the Bridge). However, in the early 1900s, it was dismantled because the bridge was too old to safely support its weight. At its base, a blacksmith’s workshop operated for decades, while long lines of mules and horses frequently found shelter beneath its stone arches. The ancient bridge was fully restored and reinforced during the 1980s. Its significance is not only historical but also artistic, as the bridge was depicted by Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio) in his celebrated painting, “Madonna of the Goldfinch” (La Madonna del Cardellino).

Church of St. Lucia

11th century

It is located in the center of Apecchio, with its right side adjacent to the provincial road. The churchyard lies below street level, and is accessed by walking down a few steps. The plastered facade features a gabled profile, characterized by a stone lintelled portal and a small arched window (lunette). The interior hall has a rectangular layout, where two large, full-height arches succeed one another, dividing the space into three bays. On the counter-facade, a choir loft dominates with a straight, painted wooden balustrade. The central bay features chest-shaped altars set against the wall. The rear bay houses the presbytery, iconographically dominated by a fresco fragment of the Crucifixion. A 14th-century church, its interior preserves two 17th-century canvases alongside frescoes likely belonging to the Giotto school. Additionally, it is the only confirmed Templar church featuring three crosses; Giulio Ubaldini was buried here in 1620. Other fragmentary wall paintings cover the left wall of the nave. Two large windows open high up on the right side, filling the church with natural light. The church features a stone structure with a wooden-beamed roof. The interior floor is made of terracotta tiles.

Woad millstone

14th century

Used since antiquity to grind “Woad” (Isatis Tinctoria), a herbaceous plant that was intensively cultivated in our area for at least two centuries. Woad built a highly prosperous economy for the local inhabitants—so much so that local merchants owned houses in Venice, Florence, and Milan. This herb, which was harvested up to five times a year, had to be crushed into a pulp using large stone millstones, then dried, and subsequently pulverized. The resulting powder was used to dye all kinds of fabrics blue and to create tempera paints for frescoes. The Duke of Urbino and the Count of Apecchio had established a “D.O.C.” (controlled designation of origin) brand in their territories to guarantee the purity of the product, and anyone who violated these rules was severely punished. In the 1600s, this economy came to an end due to the import of Indigo from the Indies, which was much cheaper. The Apecchio area still preserves many traces of this heritage: both woad plants that have survived over time and now grow wild in our countryside, and millstones still scattered across their historical work sites in the surrounding fields.

Clock tower

14th century

The Clock Tower (Torre dell’Orologio), locally known as “el Campanon,” loomed large as the main entrance for travelers arriving in Apecchio through the historic village. On either side of the entrance arch, the inscription “concordia praesit” (meaning “may harmony prevail”) is still visible. Above the arch, the coat of arms of the Ubaldini family stands out. The bell, cast in the mid-17th century and named “Ave Maria Stella,” is now preserved in the Monte Nerone Fossil and Mineral Museum. In the 1700s, the tower was equipped with a clock; its original dials are still on display, while the old mechanical movement is kept inside the Museum. The earthquake of 1781 caused the tower to partially collapse, just as the upper floor of the Palace crumbled. In the main square, several noble palazzos feature architecture reminiscent of the typical late-Renaissance style—buildings once inhabited by the noble families of the era and cadet branches of the Counts of Ubaldini.

Church of Madonna della Vita

16th century

This small 16th-century building, featuring a half-Greek cross plan, is located in the heart of Apecchio’s historic center. Its interior was fully restored in 1972. The facade features a fresco of the Madonna and Child. Originally established as a hospital, the facility was managed at the time by a religious confraternity. Inside, it preserves important works of art, such as the painting of the Madonna della Vita (Madonna of Life) placed on the high altar, painted by Picchi. The left altar features a mid-15th-century wooden Crucifix, while the right altar displays a 17th-century Crucifixion by an unknown artist.

Jewish Quarter

16th century

It is part of the Vicoletto district: a narrow alley measuring 28 meters long and ranging from a minimum of 37 to a maximum of 42 centimeters wide, considered one of the narrowest existing in Italy. The presence of the Jewish community in Apecchio has been documented since the late 15th century. In the Statutes that Count Ottaviano Ubaldini della Carda granted to the castle of Apecchio in 1492, specific regulations were outlined for Jewish residents. These rules capped the interest rate on money lending, which could not exceed 12% for local citizens and 18% for foreigners. They also established the days on which the Jewish pawnbrokers could open their loan banks, as well as how they could source kosher meat—that is, meat fit for consumption. To this day, a street is named “Via dell’Abbondanza” (Street of Abundance), in memory of all the Jewish merchants who kept their warehouses and trade stalls there (selling leather, textiles, grains, and various foodstuffs). In 1552, Pope Julius III decreed that synagogues and Jewish homes had to be constructed as separate buildings, even if located very close to those of Christians, so as not to escape the payment of an annual tax of ten ducats. This substantial sum went to finance institutions in Rome that housed converted Jews. The “giro d’aria” (air corridor), as it was also called, delimits the entire block on the right consisting of Jewish residences, where we also find the small courtyard where the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) was celebrated, the synagogue, and the bakery.

Palazzo Ubaldini

16th century

Palazzo Ubaldini: Architecture and History Built in 1477 based on a design by Francesco di Giorgio Martini, Palazzo Ubaldini is an important example of 15th-century (Quattrocento) architecture. It was commissioned by Count Ottaviano II Ubaldini della Carda, regent of the Duchy of Urbino, and built by Lombard craftsmen who had already worked on the Ducal Palace of Urbino. In 1494, the Count himself granted the Statute to the community of Apecchio, which served as the foundation of the Ubaldini government for over three centuries. Today, visitors can still see the portico with eight sandstone columns and Ionic capitals, surmounted by elegant round-arched windows and the original Ubaldini coat of arms, which was later replaced by a stag’s head—a symbol granted by Frederick II for an act of valor. The Underground Chambers and the Museum The palace features barrel-vaulted basements that once served as stables, prisons, a grape-pressing room, and an ice house (neviera). The ice-house well, now a room of the Fossil Museum, is located in the center of the courtyard. An earthquake in 1781 destroyed a large part of the building, sparing only the courtyard, a ground-floor hall, and part of the staircase. The Pieve of San Martino Adjacent to the palace stands the Pieve of San Martino, dating back to the 11th century. Built upon an ancient pagan temple, it is dedicated to the patron saint, celebrated on September 11th. Preserved inside are works by Pandolfi, 17th-century frescoes and paintings, as well as two sandstone altars.

Museum of Fossils and Minerals of Monte Nerone

16th century

This prestigious museum is housed within the underground chambers of Palazzo Ubaldini. It was established over twenty-five years ago, when the decision was made to gather various private fossil and mineral collections (namely the Bartolucci, Bei, and Paleani collections). Since then, thanks to the voluntary contributions of several dedicated local citizens, the Museum now displays over two thousand specimens of remarkable scientific and aesthetic value. Some of these are unique, such as the Hybopeltoceras Paviai, of which the museum preserves a specimen widely considered by experts to be exceptional for both its beauty and paleontological significance. Recently, the Museum has been redesigned and made interactive with the support of touch screens and audiovisual installations.

The Jewish Alley

16th century

It is part of the Vicoletto district, measuring 28 meters long and ranging from a minimum of 37 to a maximum of 42 centimeters wide, considered one of the narrowest in Italy. The presence of the Jewish community in Apecchio has been documented since the late 15th century. This was the so-called “giro d’aria” (air corridor) that separated Jewish homes from those of Christians, designed to evade paying the tax that would have been levied had there been any structural contact between the buildings.

Church of St. Caterina d'Alessandria

10th century

Dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria, martyred in 305 for refusing to renounce her faith in Christ, the church was built around the 13th century to honor the cult of the Egyptian saint, likely funded by a wealthy knight returning from the Crusades. Its simple structure—and particularly its hypogeum (underground chamber)—testifies to its antiquity, as this lower space was originally designed as a safe gathering place for prayer when doing so was still dangerous. Written records concerning the church only appear in later periods; in the early 1700s, documents mention a nearby field belonging to the “Madonna della Vita” estate that provided for the church’s upkeep. The significance of this small church to the people of Apecchio is largely tied to its lower section, which once housed the revered Holy Crucifix (SS. Crocifisso). Devotion to this Crucifix grew immensely following the miraculous events of the earthquake on June 3, 1781, as the wooden Crucifix was credited with saving the entire local population. Due to its limited capacity, the church eventually proved too small to accommodate the crowds of worshipers. Consequently, in 1886, the Archpriest Don Luigi Volpi petitioned the Bishop for permission to move the Crucifix to the main town church (today the Sanctuary of the Holy Crucifix). This transfer took place in 1889, once a suitable and “decently prepared chapel was arranged at the altar of the Holy Name of God in the Pieve.” From that moment on, the church fell into decline, until its recent restoration (completed in 2001).

Velvet Avenue and Sulphur Water

Known as the “Lovers’ Avenue” (Viale degli innamorati), this was once an ancient unpaved road that connected surrounding fields and two churches: the Church of Saint Catherine of Alexandria and the now-lost Church of San Francesco extra muros. Today, it is a grassy, tree-lined avenue where visitors can enjoy walks immersed in nature and refresh themselves at the nearby sulphur water spring, renowned for its beneficial properties. Located nearby is the sports center, which features a multi-purpose hall, a tennis court, a skating rink, a playground, a public water kiosk, and the trailhead for the famous path leading to the Gorgaccia waterfall (trail 238A).