The Gualdo Cattaneo territory is characterised by a system of medieval castles and buildings that represent a true defensive complex, developed according to the "castrum".
Among the best-preserved is the Castle of Barattano, a few kilometers from Gualdo Cattaneo: characterised by a wall with a medieval entrance gate, the central keep, i.e. the main tower, small alleys and towers, it is a valid example of compact military architecture with a purely defensive purpose. The church of S. Bartolomeo (13th century) stands just outside the walls . The oldest name of this castrum was Sant'Angelo in Piscina, which changed to Barattano, probably due to the practice of trade that made this valley very lively.
The Castle of San Terenziano is also part of the circuit of the Castles of Gualdo Cattaneo. The origins of the place are very ancient (1st century A.D.), suffice it to say that it was called “loco petroso” by the Romans for its quarries rich in limestone and travertine. It was built following the traditional square plan, using the local white and pink limestone. The name derives from the martyred bishop of Todi who was martyred in this very area. During the Renaissance, the castle became the residence of the Cesi family of Acquasparta, who built a palace here that is still visible among the medieval houses of the castle. Legend has it that Galileo Galilei stayed in Gualdo Cattaneo not only in the Rocca, but also in the palace of Federico Cesi, founder of the Accademia dei Lincei, whose friend he was.
Not to be missed is the extraordinary open-air museum, consisting of the magnificent defensive complex of more than ten castles that earned Gualdo the nickname “Borgo dei Castelli” (Village of Castles). These include the castles of: San Terenziano, Saragano, Pozzo, Cisterna, Marcellano, Ceralto, Torri, Grutti, Speltara, Pomonte, Simigni, Forte Sorgnano and, of course, the center of Gualdo Cattaneo.
