Castello di Palazzo

Palazzo is one of Arcevia's historic fortified villages, known for its fifteenth-century gate, stone houses and Baroque parish church.

Why it matters

The village records the medieval commune of Rocca Contrada's efforts to fortify its territory after nearby settlements were abandoned. It is also associated with the Vici family of architects, who contributed to its eighteenth-century religious architecture.

What to notice

Sections of stone and brick walls frame the compact settlement, entered through a fifteenth-century gate. The Church of Santi Settimio e Stefano contains marble altars and an altarpiece attributed to a Venetian school. The Oratory of San Venanzio, built between 1751 and 1759 to a design by Arcangelo Vici, preserves fresco decoration.

Context and history

Rocca Contrada established the castle in the fourteenth century as an outpost after the abandonment of Sassellero and Sterleto. The settlement became part of Arcevia's ring of fortified villages. In the eighteenth century, the Vici family contributed to the church and oratory that define the village's later artistic character.