The Tower of Montignano

Tor Feltresca…Albani Tower…Montignano Tower stands atop the highest hill facing the sea, opposite the hill on which Montignano stands.
Built towards the end of the ‘400, a watchful eye towards the sea, it was to serve the “Feltreschi” that is, first the Montefeltro and then the Della Rovere, lords of Senigallia, as a lookout and communication point in case of attack and danger from the sea. Communications were carried out promptly with visual and light signals, torches and fires, in order to signal and hinder the incursions of Turkish corsairs invading the Adriatic, alerting the armed garrison of the Rocca di Senigallia, Montemarciano up to Ancona, as well as the towers in the more inland territories.
Towards the end of the 18th century the Tower was mentioned as Torre Albani, belonging to the noble Albani family, who owned the entire territory up to Senigallia, in 1830 it was restored: a floor was added, narrower than the body of the tower, and the central staircase was modified
At the end of the nineteenth century it was purchased by Prince Emanuele Ruspoli, landowner, member of parliament, mayor of Rome, and city councilor in Senigallia. The Ruspoli family marked this area from a historical and economic point, in Montignano there was also the holiday villa …

The coat of arms on the entrance door is that of Emanuele Ruspoli, in polychrome ceramic, it has a circular shape, bordered with green leaves, in the centre is reproduced the shield of the family (6 hills) with the initials of Emanuele Ruspoli on the sides, surmounted by a crown.

In 1973 the property passed to other families and is still private property (Manzoni family).

Built with reddish bricks, the tower is 18.6 meters high and has a base formed by a rectangle of 11 meters for the North and 10 meters West and East sides respectively.

When it was raised by one floor, the original battlements were eliminated, and on the added third floor a Guelph-type battlements (square summit) were placed. At the top there is a small bell gable inside which we can find a bell with the date written in Roman numerals MDLXVII (1567) and the Della Rovere symbol.
On the north facade, the one with the entrance door, it is still possible to see a blind arch, which indicates the location of the very first entrance, which was originally located on the first floor and was reached by a ladder, which could be pulled up in case of enemy attack.

Over the years, the Manzoni family has carried out consolidation and embellishment works, contributing to the conservation and enhancement of the building.

Secret passage to the Rocca di Senigallia? Or up to the Prati della Maddalena, in front of the church of the same name?