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Scheggino
A delightful slope castle, rich in history, nature and art, stands on the left bank of the Black, which is guarded by its typical triangular structure, crowned at the vertex by a square plan sight tower, erected on half a coast of one Rocky spur over the inhabited area.
It is immersed in an oasis of peace, a liquid environment of great charm, in symbiosis with the Black River, whose waters lick the houses; Separated into two by an artificial canal, an ancient grip to feed a mill, where the limpid water springs of the Valcasana sources, a delightful natural garden, surrounded by Aleppo pines, roverelle, holm oaks and bushes, pour out.
The great presence of water means that the gastronomic specialty of the place, in contrast with the rest of Valnerina where the meat is dominated, is river fish, shrimp and trout.
The latter is brilliantly married to the black truffle, which here at Scheggino is the king of all economic activities.
We do not know the foundation period of the castle, probably erected in defense of the Saracen raids, which raged in the low Valnerina around the year 1000. He was always loyal to the Duchy, then to the Commune of Spoleto; Fidelity that caused him a double siege and consequent looting by the enemies of this city both in 1391 and in 1552 on the occasion of the insurrection of the castles of Valnerina.
In 1522 the rebels, led by Petrone da Vallo and Piccozzo Brancaleoni, unsuccessfully besieged Scheggino, who initially adhered to the revolt, then returned to Spoleto, thus attracting the wickedness of the other castles of Valnerina. Shortly after the siege was repeated by other rebels, led by Girolamo di Fiorino, who took advantage of the absence of men who went out into the fields for the usual harvest, but the assailants were rejected by the women of the place,
In the following centuries the quiet of the place was no longer troubled. He remained subjected to Spoleto until the end of the eighteenth century, however, enjoying a particular autonomy, so as to have his own Statute in 1561. A century later, in evidence of how profound the times had changed, the towers were transformed into colombaie , While the castle became a stone quarry for the construction of noble houses along the river.
Scheggino's economic importance rose under the Pontifical State when, in 1635, Urban VIII, at the request of Cardinal Poli, owner of a villa in this place, activated a foundry for the processing of ferrous material extracted from the Monteleone mine Spoleto, also adapting the Valcasana road to the transport of materials.
Oral tradition requires that the cancellations of the Pantheon and of the Basilica of St. Peter have been built in this ironmonger.
All the castle deserves a hasty visit, it is full of delicious views; Among the most notable monuments is the Church of St. Nicholas, dating back to the 14th century, restored in the 16th century and decorated with frescoes by Spain and Angelucci da Mevale; The Church of San Rocco, dating back to the 16th century; The Church of Santa Felicita, of the twelfth century; The Palazzo Comunale of the XVI century; The Villa Poli, dating back to the 17th century.
The hamlets, Ceselli, Civitella, Collefabbri, Monte San Vito, Nevi, Pontuglia, Valentino, Schioppo, are almost worthless. They are now almost uninhabited but immersed in a natural scenery of great beauty and also of high artistic interest.