The watchtower of the ancient Castle of Collevalenza
The ancient Watchtower of the Collevalenza Castle was the scene of numerous disputes and furious assaults by the opposing Guelph and Ghibelline factions of Todi; The Castle itself was attacked repeatedly from 1272, conquered, razed to the ground and for centuries was territory of discord between the opposing parties until around 1500.
When it was not plagued by the conflicts, Collevalenza and its Castle were considered one of the best places to visit in the entire land. In the immediate vicinity you can still find today the remains of the Via Flaminia dating back to Roman times and the great “Selva di Pugliano”, a true paradise for the numerous “bird-catchers” of migrating pigeons.
In the village of Collevalenza, in 1409, Muzio Attendolo Sforza wished to celebrate his magnificent marriage to Antonia Salimbeni, the widow of Francesco Casale, the Lord of Cortona and Chiusi.
In 1424 it was reconstructed and today you can still admire the 15th century towers and the walls in gothic style with mullioned windows facing Todi.
A long time pursued and then an earthquake did the rest. When Rosary found these ruins she fell in love with the place and with her determined and patient restoration work and preservation of the ancient 13th century watchtower, part of the castle walls of Collevalenza, its old granaries and secret rooms, she brought back to life the charming Period Residence Torre Sangiovanni Hotel in Todi.