Gradara

In the Middle Ages Gradara was the capital of this area on the borders of Le Marche and Romagna. It has one of the foremost and most-visited castles in Italy and is just a few minutes from Pesaro.

The fortress and the fortified village of Gradara together make up one of the best-preserved mediaeval structures in the country and one of the most imposing, with two circles of walls surrounding the fortress; the outer wall is almost 800 metres long.
The fortress stands on a hill-top 142 metres high, and the keep is 30 metres high and  dominates the whole valley.
Its well-chosen location made Gradara a meeting place for peoples and traffic of all kinds. In the Middle Ages the fortress was the scene of major battles between the Papal State and the ruling dynasties of Le Marche and Romagna. Today its nearness to the coast and the beaches brings it into the orbit of one of Italy’s main visitor destinations, the Marche-Romagna Riviera..
history
The keep was built about 1150 by the powerful De Griffo family, but it was the Malatestas who were responsible for building the fortress and the two surrounding walls between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, so giving Gradara its present appearance. The rule of the Malatestas over Gradara ended in 1463 when Federico da Montefeltro stormed the fortress at the head of the Papal militia. Gradara subsequently changed hands a number of times, and several of the foremost ruling houses in Italy contended possession, including the Sforza, Borgia, Della Rovere, and Medici families. The excellent state of preservation of the fortress is owing to Umberto Zanvettori who carried out major restoration work about the year 1920, investing all his resources in returning the fortress to its former splendour.
legend
Lucrezia Borgia and Francesca da Rimini both lived for a time at Gradara. Tradition tells us that it was the setting for the tragic love story of Paolo and Francesca, narrated by Dante in his Divine Comedy; this tradition lends Gradara its unique atmosphere of mystery and romance.
events and specialities
Gradara stands amidst land rich in olive groves and vineyards, and has ancient culinary traditions. The characteristic inns and restaurants in Gradara offer excellent Marche-Romagna dishes, allowing visitors to taste the specialities of two regions. 
The main event in Gradara is “Besieging the Castle”, a historical re-enactment of the terrible siege of 1446, when Francesco Sforza and Federico da Montefeltro spent 43 days trying to overcome the castle of Gradara. The event takes place during the last-but-one weekend in July and is inaugurated with a great musical firework display. 
useful links
www.comune.gradara.pu.it
www.gradara.org
www.gradarainnova.com