Montone is a small perfectly preserved medieval town. It is placed at the top of the hill that is the watershed between the Tiber river and its tributaries the Carpina and the Lana rivers.
Surrounded by stern walls it is refined and embellished with tall bell towers, narrow streets and broad steps winding along the historic centre.
The first information about Montone goes back to 10th century and in 1121 it was embattled under the control of Perugia.
The town followed the changeable fortunes of the Fortebracci family and reached its period of maximum splendour with the commander of mercenary troops Braccio da Montone whose son, Carlo Fortebracci, under the Serenissima orders turned back the Saracens from the Veneto borders and was rewarded with a precious relic.

The ostension of this relic, “the Sacred Thorn”, occurs only twice a year (the Easter Monday and the last Sunday of August) and brings back to life the old glories of the Fortebracci county.
During the reconstruction of the donation of the Sacred Thorn, the three districts of the town defy each other in archery to gain the Palio and elect the Lady of the castle.
The festivities end with a great historical procession and the castle lives again as in the 15th century, enjoying the merry atmosphere and the smells of the old cooking.

For more info:
wikipedia: Montone

Thanks to our friend Giulio Pettenò for the photos of this special report and for the ones that will follow.