Terra del Sole (“Ground of the Sun”) is a city built in 1564 for the account of Cosme Ier of Tuscany by Baldassarre Lanci, originating in Urbin. It is located in the area of Emilie-Romagna. It is about the one of the first cities strengthened to be entirely thought according to a geometrical diagram. It was conceived to symbolize the ideal city of the Italian Renaissance.

Built according to a rectangular plan, Terra del Sole was not simply a residential city but also an important fortified town able to face the military innovations most recent, in particular the firearms. In certain places, the walls reach nine meters thickness. The city itself is divided into symmetrical districts, themselves subdivided in streets. Two small Château X were used respectively as general headquarter with the " captain of artillerie" and with the " governor of the cité". The four principal districts of the city were called Santa Maria , Santa Reparata , Sant' Andrea and San Martino .

The central place, baptized Piazza d' Armi (“Place of weapons”), is surrounded of the principal public edifices: the church Santa Reparata , the Palazzo del Provveditore , the Palazzo della Cancelleria and the Palazzo Pretorio (transformed today into Museum of the Man and the Environment).

The city Castrocaro Terme E Terra del Sole exists always today, and counts 6.096 inhabitants. Although small groups of dwellings since appeared outside the walls, the initial plan of Cosme Ier remains very perceptible.

External bond

• /Official site