Battle of Pian Perduto
The Battle of Pian Perduto was the armed clash that on July 20, 1522 pitted Visso against Norcia over a border pasture on the Castelluccio plain. The people of Visso won it, at the end of a struggle against Norcia that was the longest and bloodiest Visso ever fought. From that day the plain, until then called the Piano del Quarto, di Cànatra or di Visso, took the name Perduto ("lost"). Today that land, at the foot of Monte Vettore, belongs to the municipality of Castelsantangelo sul Nera, while the rest of the upland plain belongs to Norcia.
The episode is documented, but it is known above all through a short folk poem. The poem has 116 octaves and tells the story with an ironic and at times comic tone. For visitors to the area, Pian Perduto is an upland plain to explore on foot, by bike or by car along provincial road 136, with the story of the battle in the background.
Battle of Pian Perduto: what to know
The origins of the dispute. Relations between Visso and Norcia had long been tense. Castelluccio was founded as an outpost guarding Norcia's borders and pastures. Originally the area of today's Pian Perduto belonged to Norcia. In the 14th century Visso enlarged its territory with a purchase in the Piano del Quarto, the old name of Pian Perduto. Norcia never recognized that purchase, which caused bloody struggles between the two communes.
The clash of July 20, 1522. The battle was triggered by the dispute over a pasture lost by Norcia and won by Visso and its Guaite (allied districts) of Ussita and Castelsantangelo. The forces in the field were very uneven: the ratio was ten to one in favor of the men of Norcia. According to the poem, the Norcia men were led by Captain Arbillo and had eaten and drunk heavily before the clash. They were defeated and lost their weapons and banner, while the men of Visso gave thanks to their patron saints.
The story told in the poem. The casus belli is said to have been a certain Giorro, who went into the woods to fell a beech tree for its trunk. A Norcia warden caught him and demanded payment of one scudo, or else he would put him in prison. Giorro responded with a beating. The warden went back to Norcia wounded, and his fellow townsmen took up arms to march against the men of Visso.
Accounts of the outcome do not agree. For the people of Visso, victory was due to their own valor and their faith in the saints. For the people of Norcia, the defeat came from a trick set up by the women of Gualdo, who held them back in an overly "friendly" way to lead them into a trap.
The author of the poem. The work is attributed to Berrettaccia of Castelsantangelo, a shepherd-poet. He was one of those shepherds known for composing verse and reciting entire poems from memory, such as the Guerin Meschino, Orlando Furioso and Gerusalemme Liberata. The text is a mock-heroic composition in the old Visso dialect. In 1914 Pietro Pirri published an edition of it in Foligno, now almost impossible to find. A more recent edition, edited by Fabio Santilli with illustrations by Mauro Cicarè, was produced under the patronage of the municipalities of Visso, Ussita and Castelsantangelo sul Nera. The same three municipalities have in the past promoted artistic, historical and theatrical events devoted to the episode.
Places linked to the battle. Later the small Church of Madonna della Cona was built to commemorate the battle. This little church stands at Forca di Gualdo, a mountain pass in the municipality of Castelsantangelo sul Nera. Before including it in a route, check whether the little church is accessible.
A darker tradition is connected with the Passo Cattivo. The victorious men of Visso are said to have led the Norcia prisoners to the top of the pass and thrown them off the cliff. The shepherds of Vallinfante say that the soldiers' cries can still be heard at night. It remains an oral tale, without the same historical support as the battle.
More stories and historical facts about the area are on the page Sibillini Mountains history: where the name comes from.
Battle of Pian Perduto: visiting Pian Perduto today
Pian Perduto can be visited in any season. The busiest period is the flowering. The Pian Grande changes color from week to week, from late May to mid-July. According to the Park, peak flowering usually falls in the last week of June. The flowering, however, varies from year to year. In 2026 it turned out much sparser than usual, because of rain until the second half of May followed by dry heat.
Those who want to combine the landscape with the memory of the battle can also choose other periods. In winter Pian Perduto can also be crossed on snowshoes, starting from Forca di Gualdo. Winter outings require suitable snow and favorable weather, to be checked before setting out.
On flowering weekends traffic is very heavy. In 2026 the Park put in place a mobility plan to manage visitor flows between the second half of June and the first half of July. On the weekends of June 20-21, June 27-28, July 4-5 and July 11-12, plus Monday, June 29, private cars and camper vans were not allowed through. On weekdays access was unrestricted. Check the updated rules each season.
Battle of Pian Perduto: practical tips
How to get there. From Visso, drive up to Castelsantangelo sul Nera and from there take the road for Castelluccio as far as Forca di Gualdo. From Norcia, take the state road for Forca Canapine, then turn left for Castelluccio. Past the village, a final climb leads to Forca di Gualdo, at 1,496 m. This saddle is the most convenient access to the Castelluccio plain from the north.
Provincial road 136. The SP136, which climbs from Castelsantangelo sul Nera, runs alongside Pian Perduto and offers views from above and below. The earthquakes between August 2016 and January 2017 badly damaged this road, which was then restored with consolidation work. It was later reopened. Before setting out, check that it is passable. Castelluccio still shows the marks of the 2016-2017 earthquakes. Trails and roads to the starting points may sometimes be inaccessible.
What to do on foot. Several routes start from Forca di Gualdo:
- A crossing of Pian Perduto takes a few hours of walking, at hiking difficulty.
- The climb to Monte Lieto from Forca di Gualdo is the shortest and easiest.
- Another route starts from the little church of the Madonna della Cona and climbs Monte Lieto.
Times may vary depending on pace and trail conditions.
By bike. A mountain bike loop around the Piani di Castelluccio starts from Forca di Gualdo. It is especially striking in late June, during the lentil flowering.
Respect for the fields. Pian Perduto is a karst basin that alternates cultivated fields and wildflowers, so it is also farmland. Stay on the trails and do not trample the crops. Before any hike at altitude, it is always worth checking the weather.