The Hermitage of Montecasale

Along the footsteps of Saint Francis

The Hermitage of Montescale is located near Sansepolcro and is immersed among the lush,  streams and natural caves of the area. This place has a history that goes back to ancient times and is linked to the story of Saint Francis. The Hermitage was founded in 1192 by the Camaldolese monks who built a small convent there with a hospital and hospice area for pilgrims on their way from the Alpe della Luna area. The Hermitage  of Montecasale is an example of simple architecture that was made with local materials and inspired by a simple, religious way of life. 

The hermitage was given to Saint Francis in 1213 by the bishop of  Città di Castello and became an important place of spirituality and tradition for the Franciscans. The present-day hermitage is the result of extensions and restorations during the Renaissance period. Inside the hermitage there are ancient works of art such as a wooden statue of the Madonna that, legend has it, was brought by Saint Francis from the ruins of a nearby castle. 

The entire hermitage resonates with memories related to the days of Saint Francis. There is the stone on which the Saint slept, a crucifix he brought to Montecasale and three small urns with relics and two skulls of the three thieves who were converted by Francis. Outside the convent, there is the font that Saint Francis made spring forth, the font of the “Grappa l’Orso” from which the three converted thieves drank, the “Sasso Spicco” where it is said that Saint Francis sang the praises of God with the nightingale and the vegetable garden where Francis proved the obedience of two young prospective friars. 

A visit to the Hermitage of Montecasale today means immersing yourself in a place of great mysticism and peace. It’s the perfect place to immerse yourself in faith and in nature.