Colfiorito

Colfiorito is a village in Umbria, central Italy, former Catholic bishopric under its Roman name Plestia, now a frazione of the comune of Foligno and a Latin Catholic titular see.

Geography

It is located on a plateau at 760 m over the sea level, on the road from municipal seat Foligno to Macerata, which houses a total of c. 5,000 inhabitants (part of it is under the jurisdiction of Serravalle di Chienti, Marche).

History

In the plateau tombs from the 10th century BC and an Iron Age village (9th century BC) have been found.

In 178 BC existed here the Roman city of Plestia, which had a forum, a temple and other edifices and shortly was a bishopric.

The town was abandoned in the 10th century: the site is now marked by the church of Santa Maria in Plestia.

The area was repopulated by the comune of Foligno, who built here the castle (1269) from which originated the modern village.

Colfiorito was heavily damaged by the earthquake which rocked Umbria and Marche regions on September 26, 1997.