The History of the Val di Pierle
Professor Marcello Silvestrini, former Full Professor of Modern Language Teaching at the Faculty of Italian Language and Culture at the Italian University for Foreigners in Perugia, who was born in the Val di Pierle and maintains strong roots there, has kindly allowed us to publish his book "Val di Pierle Memorie Storiche" online. You can browse through it simply by clicking the button below.
The volume, which analyzes and comments on the writings of Don Giovanni Battista Millotti, parish priest of Santa Maria delle Corti, at the end of the 19th century, is a treasure trove of information about the valley's history and features stunning images of the area.
A heartfelt thanks to Professor Silvestrini from the residents of the valley, those who were born here but now live far away, and everyone who will learn about the history and beauty of the area by flipping through the pages of this book.
The Etruscans and the Romans
Numerous sources describe the presence of Romans and Etruscans in the Val di Pierle, although the historiography of this period is fragmented and unclear. It is believed that the Val di Pierle served as a transit route during the Etruscan era, being located between important cities of the Etruscan League such as Perugia, Arezzo, and Cortona.
The road traversed the Esse Valley and connected to the Niccone Valley, providing access to the Upper Tiber Valley and, consequently, to Perugia and Rome. The Romans utilized and improved this road, likely of Etruscan origin, paving its most challenging sections.
The Battle of Lake Trasimeno (217 BCE) between Hannibal and Roman troops continued into our valley. Here, fleeing Roman soldiers, led by Gaius Centronius, clashed with the Carthaginians at Pian di Marte. The presence of place names linked to the battle, such as Pugnano and Pian di Marte, confirms the event.
Precise information is lacking until the imperial period, when, according to the Perugian historian Ciatti: “… after Commodus was killed by a gladiator, Publius Helvius Pertinax succeeded him. As Julius Capitolinus wrote, he was born at the Villa of Piano di Marte, among the Apennine mountains, twelve miles from Perugia, between Preggio and Lisciano.”
A section of the ancient cobblestone road built by the Romans
Publius Helvius Pertinax
Saint Leo the Great
Pope Leo I, also known as Leo the Great, was an important figure in the history of the Catholic Church. Although several cities claim to be his birthplace, local tradition holds that he was born in the Val di Pierle at the end of the 4th century.
Leo the Great was elected pope in 440 and died in Rome in 461 after leading the Church for over 20 years. His pontificate was marked by a period of significant change, with the fall of the Roman Empire, the rise of Christianity, and barbarian invasions. The most famous episode of his pontificate was his meeting with Attila, persuading him to abandon Italy. Additionally, Leo the Great worked to maintain Church unity and doctrinal purity, combating various heresies and convening councils, including the important Council of Chalcedon.
In the Val di Pierle, the memory of Leo the Great endures. It is said that a church dedicated to the saint once stood within the Rocca of Pierle, although no traces of it remain today. To preserve his memory, when the church within the Rocca was destroyed, a large portrait of Saint Leo was painted in the church of San Biagio, rebuilt in 1371. In the fresco, the pope is depicted in pontifical attire, flanked by deacons Saint Lawrence and Saint Vincent, the patrons of Perugia and Cortona, respectively.
The Benedictines, Land reclamation, and Castles
A small group of Benedictine monks from the Abbey of Petroia began reclaiming the plain of the Upper Niccone Valley and the Val di Pierle around the 11th century. Evidence lies in the fact that the Niccone stream does not follow a natural course but flows between two elevated embankments, a man-made feature. The Benedictines remained at the Abbey of San Benedetto di Rifalce until around 1300, when they returned to Petroia. The abbey was later occupied by the Jesuati, another religious order founded by Blessed Colombini of Siena, but they also eventually abandoned Rifalce, leaving only ruins behind.
The history of the valley is inextricably linked to its castles, or "rocche." While their construction is often attributed to the period after the year 1000, the prevailing opinion today dates them much earlier, to the 6th or 7th centuries. This hypothesis is supported by the valley's strategic position as a border between Lombard Tuscany and Byzantine Umbria, forming part of the "Byzantine Corridor," a vital connection between the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian Seas.
In 1098, a document from the Abbey of San Fiora in Arezzo mentions the castles of Pierle, Lisciano, and Vernazzano. In 1343, the valley witnessed the raids and devastation of the German Werner, Duke of Urslingen. In 1370, Lisciano, governed by the Oddi family, rebelled against Perugia with papal support but fell under the control of Cortona's Casali family in 1390. In 1479, Perugia reconquered Lisciano, executing the castle's rulers. After a period of Franco-papal domination, powerful families such as the Della Corgna rose to prominence, extending their influence to Lisciano. In 1571, Cardinal Fulvio della Corgna, Bishop of Perugia, established the parish of Santa Maria delle Corti, separating it from that of San Martino.
With the unification of Italy (1861), the Niccone Valley, long a border between the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and the Papal State, was divided between the provinces of Arezzo and Perugia and the municipalities of Cortona and Lisciano Niccone. The Tuscan part, was annexed to the municipality of Cortona.
For detailed information about the history of individual castles such as Pierle, Lisciano, Reschio, Sorbello, Pugnano, and Danciano, and the valley’s churches, please refer to the original text.
The river that divides the valley in two
The ruins of the Castle of Danciano