In the westernmost part of the village, enclosed by medieval walls, lies the Abbey Garden — a charming garden behind the Abbey of San Bartolomeo. As Don Vincenzo Galiè writes in “L’Abbazia e il Castello di Campofilone,” from here the gaze “…turns to the villages perched on the heights, ever more minuscule until the land blurs into the last horizon…”
Originally, this space was cultivated by Benedictine monks as a vegetable garden —hence the name— and, until 1700, was home to as many as 56 olive trees, as attested by Gregorian land registry records.
In the 14th century, at the behest of the city of Fermo, the defensive walls of Campofilone castle were erected. A well-preserved section still stands today, featuring a polygonal defensive tower with swallowtail battlements and a pointed arch. Also still visible is a trapdoor that provided access to the battlements via a ladder. The unique layout of these walls gives the village its characteristic elliptical shape.
Today, thanks to the parish’s generosity, this charming corner of Campofilone opens up to visitors, becoming a picturesque setting for the village’s main summer events.
