The village’s medieval threshold, between walls and the Todi eagle
Tenaglie was guarded by a single gateway: the only entrance to the village, which preserves its medieval character. Small in scale yet compact, it was built against those very buildings that—still today—protect the settlement.
Crossing it means stepping into the heart of the village: beyond the arch, stairways, viewpoints and the austere, compact mass of Palazzo Ancajani unfold before you.
Tenaglie’s history is interwoven with that of Todi and, since 1557, a Todi eagle has been set above the gate, by a prioral decree addressed to castles under its sway: a political and identity marker that still welcomes visitors. Once guarded, the gate controlled passage, goods and security, mirroring the defensive function of this small settlement perched above the Tiber Valley.
Over the centuries, the threshold has kept its dual role as border and invitation: today it is the natural place to begin your visit, letting lanes and vistas tell the ancient measure of the place.
Arriving from the Belvedere, you enter the village’s intimate scale, where lanes reveal stairways and stone houses. Just a few steps to the left from the Porta di Melezzole, you’ll find the building that houses the finds from the Umbrian–Etruscan Necropolis of the San Lorenzo Valley: the AMAT – Tenaglie Archaeological Antiquarium, with a splendid terrace overlooking the rock of Carnano and Montecchio.
Umbro-Etruscan frontier land, land of contested castles, land of a landscape shaped by silent hamlets and rolling hills of olive, oak and chestnut trees.
Fondo Europeo Agricolo per lo Sviluppo Rurale: L’Europa investe nelle zone rurali
The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas
