|  There
afe several theories conceming the origin of the name of Saludecio.
One is that it derives from salus or saltus Decii, from the Roman
emperor
Trajan Oecius who took refuge in these hills and later built a villa.
However,it seems more probable that it is linked with St Laodicius,
a Christian martyr,
to whom the ancient church was dedicated. The origins of the town
itself afe just as uncertain. It is presumed that some kind of agricultural
colony was
established bere by the Romans, but the first documentary mention
of Saludecio was made in 1040, when we leam that the church of Sanctii
Lauditii was underthe authority ofthe diocese of Rimini.
Famous citizens include the Blessed Amato Ronconi, a 13th-century
Franciscan monk who founded the Santa Maria Hospital at Mount Orciale,
to provide shelter for the many pilgrims who passed through Saludecio
of their way to Rome, by no means an easy journey in those times.
Between the 13th and 15th centuries,Saludecio was hotly disputed
by the rival factions of Malatesta and Montefeltro, frequently changing
hands, until it was occupied first by Cesare Borgia and then by
the Della Rovere farnily, the heirs of the Dukes of Montefeltro.
It was later ruled briefty by the Venetians until it finally carne
under the domination of the Papal States in 1524, a situation that
remained unchanged until 1859, except far the short interval of
the Napoleonic occupation from 1797 to 1815, when the town formed
part of the Cisalpine Republic. Saludecio has been the home of many
writers on literary and political subjects, and far a long lime
it was considered to be the principal seat of learning far the whole
Conca Valley. Local humanist scholars included Publio Francesco
Modesti and Sebastiano Serico. The 19th century was a lime of great
urban development. The medieval town centre was skilfully restored,
and new public buildings and services were provided, including a
magistrate' s office and a prison, a post office, the Civic Residence
and the Condomini Theatre.
Saludecio is now one of the leading agricultural centres of the
Rimini area,
and other activities include craftwork (pottery, fabrics and wrought
iron),
manufacturing (footwear, joinery and machinery) and tourism.
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|  In
the 1980's, the unspoilt countryside around Saludecio proved ideal
for a project involving the cultivation of medicinaì plants.
This has led to the
creation of a Herb Garden with ahundred different species, and an
interesting collection of dried herbs. A library, scientific institute
and museum on herbal medicine and natural foods is to be opened
shortl, housed in the Civic Residence itself, making Saludecio an
important centre for the study of these subjects. A fair by the
name of Salus Erbe is held every year around 25th April, with seminars,
lectures, exhibitions and a market dedicated to herbal medicine,
biological agriculture and the environment in generai, and the
restaurants of the town serve delicious local specialities for the
occasion.
A weekly market is
also held every Saturday evening from June to August, where natural
products and country produce are sold. Another important annuall
appointment is the Ottocento Festival, held in the first week of
August, with music, drama, dance performances, exhibitions and an
openair market that recreate the atmosphere of 19th-century lire
in the streets of
Saludecio. However, the ancient town centre can be profitably visited
at any
other time of the year. It has the elongated form typical of many
other medieval communities situated on a ridge, and the principal
gate, Porta Marina, is set into the sturdy defensive walls which
encircle the town. At the other end of the centre, the 14th-century
Porta Montanara, recently restored, marks the limit of the originai
settlement. The walls round the town date back to the 15th and 16th
centuries, as can be seen from their varying architectural styles,
and the Watch-tower, with the civic coat of arrns, is from the 14th
century.
During the Renaissance
several noble mansions were built at Saludecio, and two of these
are the 16th-century Palazzo Albini (formerly Palazzo della Rovere),
with its colonnaded courtyard reminiscent of the Ducal Palace at
Urbino, and Palazzo Riminucci, from the same peri od, with an originaI
stalle staircase with two flights of steps. The San Biagio Church,
near Porta Marina, was designed by the Cesena architect Achilli,
and it also incorporates the Sanctuary of the Blessed Amato Ronconi.
The church is one of the most beautiful examples of 18th-century
architecture in the Rimini area, and contains valuable pictures
by Centino, Cagnacci and other painters of the region. The Museum
of Religious Art, also housed in the Church, has collection of votive
offerings, candelabras, lamps, relics, banners vestments and other
objects donated over the centuries by followers of the Blessed Amato
Ronconi, whose body is preserved in the Sanctuary in a crystal
urn. In the square facing the Sanctuary ,there is the Olmo Chapel,
where there
is a magnificent elm that is said to bave sprung up miraculously
on the spot
where Ronconi planted bis stick in the ground.
In the upper part
of the centre there is another important group of religious buildings,
the Church and Monastery of San Girolamo. Founded in 1640, it has
many paintings from the 18th century as well as a particularly interesting
fresco in the cloister, which depicts all the abbots who have led
the monastery since its establishment. A visit to the places associated
with the Blessed Amato Ronconi must also include the Santa Maria
Hospital at Mount Orciale, on the outskirts of the town, which is
now a home for senior citizens. With alI these things mentioned
above, it is obvious that Saludecio offers its guests a great deal
to do and see, and a further attraction is the Astronomical Observatory,
situated in the Santa Maria del Monte area and equipped with a powerful
telescope, open to visitors on Wednesday and Saturday evenings.
In the nearby villages of Cerreto and Meleto, the ruins of two medieval
castles can be seen.
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A
few kilometres away from the coast, following the Conca Valley,
the town of Saludecio can be seen on the skyline, with its towers
and fortified walls. Entrance to this picturesque township built
on a hilltop is gained by an ancient gate that faces the sea, and
once inside, the harmony of the stately mansions and the streets
and alleys can easily be noticed. The elegant lines of the churches
and noble residences enhance this leisurely