San Leo #2of3

Our Drive Into Town, Next Time
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When we returned a couple of years later we again watched a few vehicles drive up that unbelievable road, turn right and disappear, then to our surprise and wonder, there went a small city bus. We knew that if the bus made it, we could make it. Once you visit here, you will be able to imagine our apprehension as we drove up the niche, found huge mirrors that showed no traffic was leaving town, turned into the hole that turned out to be the city gate, then up the narrow rough stone street and into the town square. That look on the policeman's face wasn't just one of surprise, but he smiled and let us know that just to the right, then to the left, then, well somewhere beyond, there was a parking lot. A parking lot that most likely hadn't seen too many vehicles the size of our RV.

San Leo's Castle

But what a beautiful little town. The magnificent castle, built in the 1400's, perched on the edge of a cliff was the one mentioned in the 'Divine Comedy.' During the years since, it has been used as a prison, but recently it has been renovated and unlike most castles, is well worth the walk up the hill. Count Alessandro di Cagliostro was imprisoned and died here, and our Encyclopedia calls Cagliostro an 'Italian charlatan.' He had talents for medical science, was a cheat, a counterfeiter, a magician, an Italian, and ... well, we'll just leave it at that.

Renovation of the Old Church

San Leo has a beautiful old church, called a Pre-Romanesque parish church, built in the 700's, that was closed during our first visit, and was being renovated the second time we were here. We peeked inside and could see the building just filled with scaffolding that permitted the artisans to work on the huge pillars and the high ceiling. The beautiful stonework, both inside and out, was being returned to its original luster.

Nearby was the new church, built in 1173. Get that, San Leo's new church is nearly a 1000 years old. Just to put those dates in prospective; the old church was 400 to 500 hundred years old before the new church was built; 750 years old before Columbus discovered America; and 1,000 years old when our United States was founded. There's no building in the US that compares to either church.