Rocca delle Fiabe

About the museum

Rocca Fregoso stands on a high sandstone cliff, the Sasso del Lupo, overlooking the Savio valley. The fortress was probably built around the year 1000 by the counts of Bertinoro, and as early as 1125 it is mentioned in a papal bull of Pope Honorius II. Over the centuries it passed to the archbishops of Ravenna and to lords such as the Malatesta and the Montefeltro. In the second half of the 15th century it was remodelled on the orders of Federico da Montefeltro by the military architect Francesco di Giorgio Martini, and transformed from a bulwark into a princely residence, intended for his daughter Gentile Feltria and her husband Agostino Fregoso.

Between the late 16th and early 17th centuries the Fregoso family turned it into a residence, with the piano nobile (main floor), coffered ceilings, large Renaissance fireplaces and the frescoed octagonal chapel. From 1781 it was a convent of the Friars Minor Conventual and later served as a school, prison, magistrate’s court and dwelling; in 1835 the upper part of the keep collapsed. In 1974, after restoration, a museum was opened there with archive documents, furniture and graphic works.

Today the fortress, owned by the Comune and run by the Pro Loco, houses the “Rocca delle Fiabe” (Fairy Tale Fortress), a permanent museum devised by children’s literature scholar Antonio Faeti. Four themed rooms, rich in books, videos, installations and multimedia animations, guide visitors into the world of fairy tales; at the entrance is a bookshop with books and themed objects.

Highlights

• Four fairy-tale themes, from the “scarpette” (little shoes) to the “solitario castellano” (the solitary castle dweller)
• Multimedia displays devised by Antonio Faeti
• 15th-century fortress on a sandstone cliff
• Octagonal chapel with 16th-century frescoes and coffered ceilings
• Bookshop with books and themed objects

Permanent exhibition

• La Rocca delle Fiabe: quattro temi per la fiaba – Four themed rooms with books, videos, animations and multimedia installations dedicated to the world of fairy tales, devised by Antonio Faeti.

Founded

2014

Operated by

Comune di Sant'Agata Feltria, gestione Pro Loco

Admission & discounts

Tickets are bought directly at the Rocca delle Fiabe.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Hands-on stations

The museum is dedicated to the world of fairy tales and takes an approach based on childhood wonder; children aged 4 to 10 have a reduced ticket.

Getting there & parking

The fortress sits above the historic centre, in Piazza Garibaldi; the IAT tourist office is at Piazza Garibaldi 34 (tel. +39 0541 848 022).

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Bookshop with themed books and objects at the entrance.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit