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Vallo di Nera

Magnificent castle that dominates the Valnerina. Among its narrow is enveloped in the magic of the Middle Ages.
Superb cycles of frescoes of its churches. It rises 467 m s.l.m. has a population of approximately 400 units. The urban layout is compact, with the typical structure of the castle hill, a nucleus from which extend circular flat ring roads and steep hills to the heart or the central square of San Giovanni Battista, where the parish church occupies the point top of the hill, dominating the entire country. The village is flanked by the fifteenth of S. Mary, then falls in the second city wall, built to include the monastic settlements, and the next century village of Casali, built along the various roads of the country during the period of maximum population growth. Archaeological finds prove that the remote settlements of attributable to the aboriginal people of this valley already in the eighth century BC
Of Roman origin, the ancient name of the village was Castrum Valli, ie fortified place. In 1177 the fortress of the coolle Flezano became a fief of the Duke of Spoleto Germanic Hursligen In 1216 Conrad of the old and the old castle was destroyed by the city of Spoleto.
On September 8, 1217 the mayor of Spoleto, James Vallo Capocci grants to men of the right to erect a castle under his rule, in exchange for protection and defense. Vallo di Spoleto thus enters orbit and undertakes to pay taxes and make war or peace, according to its directives.
In 1223 Omodeo, chaplain and vicar for the Mountain to the Pope resets for a short period, the domain of the church.
Federico II and Cardinal tied Capocci, in 1247, confirmed the possession of the castle to the town of Spoleto.
In 1522 has headed, with Petrone valleys, the revolt against the castles of Valnerina Spoleto. Petrone kills the papal governor failed to quell the revolt. Vallo Castle - writes one historian - "is taken, whether full of ruins and blood and stripped of everything." Petrone is burnt alive in 1527 and go to plunder Lanzichenecchi also mean that you can fever.
The town was reborn later, as evidenced by many sixteenth lintels and the fresco by Jacopo Siculo of 1536 in the church of S. John, in whose valley is shown with its walls intact and the tower-houses.
The reference to the Black River was added after the unification of Italy. The current coat of arms depicts three castles and must be a result of the union with the nineteenth-century castles and Meggiano Paterno.
Among the numerous medieval ruins are noteworthy many parts of the walls, the main tower and other towers along the walls, the two gates of the castle, churches and most of the buildings recently restored, is one of the best examples of restoration and Preserve the original city. The modern road, built in the last century has significantly altered the structure and reaches the original road near the back door, therefore become the main, on the covered porch which, once used for the market, is the old town hall , now used for services and for the archive.

S. John Baptist dominates the village on the highest part of the hill. Originally Romanesque (XIII), was enlarged and partly rebuilt around 1575 (the date is engraved on the left corner of the facade). To this period belong the facade with its bell tower, portal and rose window. Inside, the fresco in the apse is a splendid work of Jacopo Siculo of 1536, dedicated to the Death of the Virgin. On the bow the master painted a delicate Annunciation and the figures of S. Sebastian and S. Rocco-size.

The Franciscan Church of St. Maria was started in 1273 and shows a beautiful Gothic portal and a turreted tower. The interior is surprising for the amount of frescoes which still adorn it, the work of artists from Giotto school. Among them, the stand out of the White Procession, painted by Pietro Cola in 1401 (the painting is one of the most complete sources of the movement of prison Bianchi through Italy in 1399) and the Martyrdom of Saint Lucia, a painter Camerino of the fifteenth century. There are still the bell to ring hand bells, placed in the mighty square tower, on scales of agreements unchanged over time.

The third church is dedicated to intra moenia S. Catherine, built in 1354, which today is housed in a small auditorium.