Collescille Tower

History of the Collescille Tower

Collescille was one of the villages that defended the Abbey of Sant'Eutizio. Its position on the old trail between Preci and Visso made it well suited to controlling the territory, and the watchtower stood above the settlement.

In 1259 Abbot Teodino II ceded the village to Norcia. That transfer marked the beginning of the dismantling of the abbey's temporal power. In old documents the village also appears under the name Toccalomò. A manuscript from 1650 describes it as a harsh place, on a steep mountain surrounded by dark forests.

What to see at the Collescille Tower

The tower is the village's landmark. From Collescille's elevation there is a view over the Valle del Campiano and the valleys that join it: Valcastoriana, Valle Oblita and Valle di Todiano.

The village also has the 16th-century church of Santa Maria Assunta. The 1997 earthquake left it unsafe, and it was later restored. It holds a polychrome wooden statue of the seated Madonna and Child, by the Master of the Madonna di Macereto (second half of the 15th century). Another church of interest is Sant'Antonio Abate. The Festa della Madonna (feast of the Madonna) is held on the first Sunday of June.

How to visit the Collescille Tower in Preci

The tower is reached by climbing to the upper part of the village of Collescille. The earthquakes left their mark on the area, but the tower is still standing. Before visiting, it is worth checking on accessibility and the condition of the area, since Collescille is among the villages involved in the reconstruction after the 2016 earthquake.

The village has very few residents, and out of season there are no services to rely on. The site makes a good stop at any time of year.

Where the Collescille Tower is

The tower is in Collescille, a hamlet of the municipality of Preci, in Umbria. The village is at 944 m above sea level, on the slopes of Monte Moricone, whose two summits are 1,429 m and 1,433 m high. A road climbs from Preci to Collescille and leads up to the tower, but it can be driven only in part.

Around the Collescille Tower in Preci

From the village a trail climbs to the summit of Monte Moricone. It passes the saddle of Pian Callaio, at 1,288 m, from which most of the surrounding peaks can be seen. Farther down is the Abbey of Sant'Eutizio, badly damaged by the 2016 earthquake and undergoing reconstruction work. The area also has the Eremo di San Fiorenzo (hermitage) and the Cappella di San Macario (chapel).

Other historic sites in the area are gathered on the page about archaeological sites in the Sibillini.