Cookie preferences

Choose which cookies to accept. Your choice lasts 6 months, and you can change it at any time. Cookie policy

Technical cookies

Always on

pll_language remembers your language (1 year); sg_consenso stores your cookie choice (6 months). They are needed for the site to work and do not require consent.

Google Analytics 4, provided by Google Ireland Limited, collects data about visits (pages viewed, device, approximate location) for statistics on how the site is used. It sets the _ga and _ga_<code> cookies, which last up to 2 years. It is active only with your consent.

The GetYourGuide calendar, provided by GetYourGuide Deutschland GmbH, shows dates and prices for experiences and tracks bookings made from this site. It sets the visitor_id cookie (up to 13 months) and a technical Cloudflare cookie (30 minutes), and it loads a font from Google Fonts. Without consent, you see a link to GetYourGuide instead of the calendar.

Watchtower

Watchtower

Type
Castle or fortress
Address
Viale dei cadutiSmerillo (FM)

Source: site database.

The torre d'avvistamento (watchtower) of Smerillo stands in the upper part of the village, in the Fermo area. It sits below the remains of the Castrum Smerilli, along the street and not far from the nobles' palazzo. Its large arch lets you walk down from the castle to the village in a few minutes. Smerillo is built on a crag dropping sheer to the upper Tenna valley.

Those interested in the area's castles can combine the visit with other fortifications described on the page about the castles of the Sibillini Mountains.

Share

On the map

Points from the site database. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors · Protomaps.

History of the Smerillo watchtower

The tower is part of the village's fortified system, which began as an early medieval settlement of the Abbey of Farfa. Smerillo then became one of the castles defending the abbey of Santa Vittoria in Matenano. Later it came into the orbit of Fermo.

The first records of the Castrum Smerilli date from the early Middle Ages. In 1192 the name of Count Albertus de Smerillo appears, while in 1299 the castle's fate became tied to that of the Comune of Fermo. The first ring of walls was built in 1300 along the slopes of the mountain. In 1409 the castle was invaded by the militia of the Kingdom of Naples and partly destroyed. The struggles between Camerino and Fermo, and between Empire and Papacy, later left it half destroyed.

What to see at the Torre d'Avvistamento in Smerillo

The tower is notable for its position, overlooking the street, and for the large arch linking the castle area to the village. Just above are the ruins of the fortification: stretches of wall on the sheer crag and the entrance to the old keep.

From the open spaces of the village the view stretches from the Sibillini to the sea. To the north are the hills of the Macerata area and, in the distance, the Conero. To the south the Monti della Laga and the Gran Sasso can be made out.

How to visit the Smerillo watchtower

The tower can be seen on a walk through the village. From the southernmost part of the village you climb up to see what remains of the Castrum. From the tower's arch you are back in the village in a few minutes.

Access conditions for the inside of the tower should be checked before the visit.

Where the Torre d'Avvistamento is

The tower is in Smerillo, in the province of Fermo, in the Marche region. Arriving on the provincial road that links the village to Montefalcone Appennino, the walls of the Castrum come into view even before the first houses. By car, you can leave the vehicle along the road: on the left, ruins, an old wall and a small tower are immediately visible.

Around the Smerillo watchtower

At the far end of the village, at the end of Via dei Caduti, is the Porta Nord, the old north gate into the village. From here the trail to the Fessa di Smerillo starts: a cleft in the mountain rich in Tertiary fossils.

Around the village lies the Bosco di Smerillo (Smerillo woods), with a network of trails also used for orienteering. The village also has the Romanesque church of Santa Caterina, with frescoes inside. A short distance away is Montefalcone Appennino, its twin village.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get down from the castle to the village of Smerillo?

From the castle you walk down to the village by passing under the large arch of the watchtower, in a few minutes. The remains of the fortification are in the upper part of the village, while the village spreads out below. Stretches of the old walls also survive along the access road and elsewhere.

What is the view like from Smerillo?

From the open spaces at the edge of Smerillo the view stretches from the Sibillini to the sea. To the north are the hills of the Macerata area and, far off, the Conero. To the west runs the Sibillini range, and to the south the Monti della Laga and the Gran Sasso. Because of this position the village is called “the roof of the Marche”.

Where does the trail to the Fessa di Smerillo start?

The trail to the Fessa di Smerillo begins at the Porta Nord, at the end of Via dei Caduti, at the edge of the village. The Fessa is a deep, narrow opening in the rock, rich in Tertiary fossils. The village and the surrounding area are closely tied to this geological feature.

Nearby

What to see nearby

Where to eat

Straight-line distances.