Mondolfo, Italian comune
Mondolfo is a small town built on a hilltop in Pesaro and Urbino Province, surrounded by medieval walls and narrow stone streets. The town is centered on a piazza with the Palazzo Comunale and its distinctive tall tower, behind which lie ruins of ancient fortifications and bastions.
The Romans built a simple fort in the 6th century to protect a small settlement once called Castrum Marchi, possibly named after a temple to Mars. The town grew significantly during the Middle Ages, with new walls built between the 13th and 14th centuries to surround the expanded settlement.
The name Mondolfo likely derives from 'Monte Offo,' named after an early leader or family who ruled the town. Locals still play an old Renaissance game called Pallone con il Bracciale, where players hit a ball against a wall using wooden cylinders called bracciali, a tradition that has become rare in the region.
Visitors can enjoy views of rolling hills and the sea from a nearby hilltop called the Belvedere, which helps understand the town's defensive location. From here, it is easy to explore the town center or walk to nearby Marotta Beach, where you find long stretches of sand and beach facilities.
Mondolfo was known for making birocci carts, which became famous across the region, and for a large accordion industry whose instruments were shipped worldwide, especially to South America. This craft tradition shaped the local identity, even though production is no longer active today.
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