Walls

The historic centre of Serra de’ Conti offers a significant example of an urban installation from the 13th century, adapted and transformed first in the late medieval age and then modern under the pressure of economic and social changes. The perimeter of the ancient city, situated on a hilly ridge along the valley of the river Misa, runs the walls broken by ten towers and a monumental fortified gate. We can identify, over the centuries, three distinct phases of construction. The construction of the first fortified nucleus, or Girone (XII-XII sec.). The term “Girone” is still used in the language spoken in the municipalities of the Senigallia to indicate the highest place of the historic center on which stood a fortification equipped with access door that enclosed inside a tower and a stately palatium. At Serra de’ Conti this primitive fortified nucleus stood in the highest part of the hill, following the axis of Via Garibaldi, in an area that roughly covers the part between today’s Piazza IV Novembre and Piazza Gramsci and limited to the west by Corso Roma. Outside the Circle there were villages that will later be incorporated into the walls. The first expansion dates back to 1280-1350. During this period the expansion of the walled centre affects the west side of the hill, which is less steep. The settlement takes a more complex form, typically medieval, with the presence of a main road axis (identifiable in the current Corso Roma) and two other parallel side roads. In addition, there is an identifiable orthogonal axis inserted into the current staircase leading to the Porta della Croce. The expansion of the urban space also makes it necessary to restructure the fortification system: towards the end of the 200th the access doors become three and their name corresponds to the three ancient Benedictine churches outside the castle (Santa Maria, Santo Stefano di Busseto and Santa Lucia). A subsequent expansion of the perimeter occurs in the fifteenth century with restoration and extension of the castle walls that continue until the next century. Of the three original doors remains only the Door of the Cross, the other two were demolished during the 19th century. The Porta della Croce is one of the most significant examples of military architecture in15th century. Originally it was equipped with a drawbridge and guarded by towers. It consists of two parts built in later times. The first corresponding to the internal arch dates back to ‘200 and was originally surmounted by a path protected by square battlements said “The Guelfa”. The second external part with gothic arch and rotated 90 degrees compared to the oldest one dates back to the late XIV sec. and was also surmounted by a walkway protected by a dovetail battlements called “ghibelline”. In 1648, the lunette of the inner arch was frescoed with a Deposition of Jesus from the Cross, today transferred for conservation reasons to the church of Santa Croce (placed on the right wall) and replaced with a contemporary work by the same subject performed by Maestro Bruno d’Arcevia. Porta Santa Maria was demolished in 1867 because it hindered the passage of wagons and deprived the convent of San Carlo of air and light. The same fate befell the door of Santa Lucia, rebuilt in a more advanced position and in neo-classical style in the mid-800 and partially dismantled after 1882 for reasons similar to those seen for the door of Santa Maria. In 1826, the tower of the Girone disappeared, considered hazardous and in the following years several interventions were carried out to renovate and consolidate the wall circuit. In 1828 the wall section on the right of the Porta della Croce was rebuilt, in 1849 the north-eastern section (under the former hospital) was restored and in 1867 the segment under the Franciscan garden was redone. The walls under the convent of Santa Maria Maddalena were largely consolidated in the 1930s with the inclusion of strong buttresses.