The church of St Mary of the Graces in Castelfranco
Chronicles tells that at a short distance from the church , there was a small chapel where a fresco of Our Lady was object of intense and continuous veneration.
“ It was close to four roads that wayfarers used to run to reach Cagli from Città di Castello and to reach other places in province of Romagna from Gubbio. Here the waters of rivers separate, some of them flow into the Mediterranean sea and some others flow into the Adriatic sea. This small chapel was damaged by the passing of time and after it was rebuilt people’s devotion grew so much as to become a favourite place for our Lady’s frequent grace and miracles”.
The elegant VIth century building, rising at about 8 kmts from Pietralunga, is worth visiting also for the breathtaking views we can enjoy on the valleys towards the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian sides.
The church , where Mass is still celebrated, can be reached by car taking the county road to Cagli, Along the way to Castelfranco we can also stop to see the Church of Aggiglioni, another important religious spot in the territory of Pietralunga. Other places worth visiting along the way are: Castelguelfo, a fortified hamlet with it ancient castle, Corniole, a hamlet at the foot of Monte Nerone and Collantico, the birthplace of the Fiorucci and Martinelli families.