The Rondonaia Tower of the "Sassi di Roccamalatina" Park

An ancient Castle with its Tower, in a panoramic position overlooking the Sassi di Roccamalatina. Ancient seat of one of the four fortresses that the Malatigni created around the Sassi between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, the Castellaro today appears as a small inhabited nucleus located in a panoramic position in front of the Sassi di Roccamalatina, on the top of an accentuated slope. There are numerous significant architectural elements that document its fourteenth-fifteenth century origin. In a dominant position with respect to the Borgo dei Sassi, an isolated square tower rises on a rocky outcrop: the wall structure is in sandstone plastered in the lower part, while the upper part gives a decorative character to the building also thanks to the numerous holes for swifts, distributed on several levels. The swift (Apus Apus) is a bird with a marked tendency to nest in colonies, even very numerous and has the particular habit of making festive carousels formed, at times, by hundreds of specimens. Not to be confused with the swallow, of which it is not even related, the swift is distinguished by its clearly larger dimensions, by the longer, narrower and more rigid wings, typically stride and by the smoky black plumage with a white spot on the chin. It is a real machine for flying: it only poses for nesting and, moreover, never on the ground, because then it would not be able to take off. Long-range migratory species, it reaches the reproductive sites at the beginning of April starting immediately to frequent the cavities, in which, however, it will lay only at the beginning of May in the nest reused for several years (even 20), formed by vegetable material mixed with saliva. The nestlings are cared for for 40 days due to the need to reach the complete ability to fly at the time of leaving the nest, not surprisingly located in an elevated position: in fact, due to the very short legs, the swifts are unlikely to fly away once placed on the nest. ground. But what meats! Those who have tasted them remember them as a delight. The chicks ended up in the pan, those now ready to fly, which were taken from the nests around the beginning of July. A barbaric custom in every sense, it seems that it was introduced by the Lombards, unquestionably brutal and today absolutely prohibited. However, it is understandable from the perspective of a poor economy, where animal proteins, especially if produced without human effort, were extremely precious. Swift towers can be found throughout the Tuscan - Emilian - Romagnolo Apennines with irregular distribution and concentrated in a few points. They were mainly used to make swifts nest, but the hospitality granted by man was interested: the nestlings ended up in the pan. But also in the rural houses on the upper floors, usually in the attic almost always used as an emergency deposit or shelter, numerous holes for the nesting of swifts were prepared for food purposes. The openings are small circular holes that enter, through terracotta pipes, into a compartment.