Citerna stands on a hill at 480 meters above sea level, overlooking the Upper Tiber Valley. The view that opens up before visitors is enchanting: from Sansepolcro to Città di Castello, the landscape – crossed by the Tiber River, by roads climbing the valley, and surrounded by the Apennine mountain range – reveals its unspoiled beauty. Located at the northernmost tip of Umbria, from the medieval walkways of the village the gaze embraces the entire valley and four regions: Umbria, Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, and Marche.
Thanks to its strategic position, Citerna has long been a coveted stronghold. Walking through its streets, one breathes in the charm of the ancient walls and medieval architecture, immersed in the beauty of Renaissance artistic heritage. Inside its churches are preserved important works by Pomarancio, Luca Signorelli, and the only terracotta sculpture attributed to a young Donatello. Citerna is also the fourth stop along a religious and meditative route, the Cammino di San Francesco.
A land rich in history, Citerna also tells its story through the many events that enliven the village: l’Invitta, a historical reenactment of the Barberina War between the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and the Papal States, and the Festa della Scartocciatura, held in the hamlet of Pistrino, which celebrates the traditional art of hand-shucking corn cobs. Citerna also boasts a unique food and wine tradition, tied to vinsanto, the sweet passito wine typical of Umbria.
Many notable figures have distinguished themselves in the town’s history, including Scipione Scipioni, an army corps general born in Citerna and active between the 19th and 20th centuries, and Flora Volpini, the first woman to serve as mayor, from 1965 to 1975