DATE OF FOUNDATION
2004
MEMBERSHIP OF LITAB
2005
PRESIDENT
Giommi Giacomo
In keeping with historical criteria, and in addition to proven evidence confirming the presence of crossbows in the Cagli area, the “Compagnia Balestrieri dell’Oca” (Crossbowmen’s Guild of the Goose) was founded in Cagli.
Even the well-known 17th-century chronicler Antonio Gucci, who draws his information from the municipal chancellery’s book, reports that crossbow tournaments were held in the city.
An important historical figure for both the Company and the town of Cagli is Accorsoli Annibale, a native of Cagli and member of the court of Duke Federico of Urbino, who had the honor of commanding the mounted crossbowmen and the duke’s armor, fighting alongside him.
The Balestrieri dell’Oca (Crossbowmen of the Goose) were founded within the Associazione Giochi Storici (Historical Games Association), which revives the “Palio Storico Giuoco dell’Oca” (Historical Game of the Goose) every second Sunday in August, where the four historic districts compete in the famous game to win the Palio, an iron statue depicting a goose, symbol of San Geronzio, patron saint of the city, bringing Cagli back to the second half of the Renaissance.
The ancient Roman city of Cale, located on the Via Flaminia that connected Rimini to Rome, has been documented since the 4th century. Situated on the main consular road that crossed the Apennines, it dominated the valley from the promontory of Banderuola.
The location remained on the hill until 1287, when, under the Papal States, the city was razed to the ground by a fire that broke out during the war between the Guelphs and Ghibellines factions.
A reconstruction was then carried out on the plain below, where some of the churches that form part of the city’s architectural heritage were already located.
By order of Pope Niccolò IV, this transfer took place in 1289 and the city was refounded with its original name of S. Angelo Papale in honor of the Supreme Pontiff who oversaw its reconstruction, made possible thanks to the contribution of 57 cities of the Papal States, as evidenced by the coats of arms that can be admired in the hall of the same name in the Palazzo Pubblico.
A free commune until the end of the 14th century, it developed some of the most important craft and manufacturing activities in the inland area. From the end of the 14th century,
Cagli became one of the strongholds of Montefeltro: the third most important city, a springboard for the conquest of Umbrian territories, Gubbio in particular, and the Duke’s favorite residence during his travels in the area. Francesco di Giorgio Martini built one of his impregnable fortresses on top of what is now the Cappuccini hill, connected to the tower that still stands at the gates of the city by that masterpiece of military engineering known as the “Soccorso Coverto”: a recently restored underground passage that we hope to visit as soon as possible.
In 1631, Cagli returned to being part of the Papal States, but retained its autonomous character thanks to the flourishing activities that had begun in previous centuries. Home to numerous Benedictine monasteries, Cagli witnessed the work of many artists whose works can still be admired today: from Timoteo Viti to Giovanni Santi, from Raffaellino del Colle to Gaetano Lapis, to the stuccoes by Brandani preserved in Palazzo Tiranni.