Fornace
Located on a wide terrace on Montepiano's North-Western slope, Fornace surrounds the Castello Roccabruna - which hosts the Municipal offices - and the church of San Marino. The rione di Cortiveder is the beating heart of the town, a true bastion of rural life with its courtyards, haylofts and barns. The town's name is supposed to result from the furnaces, which used to melt silver extracted from the mines in the area. The Fornace area is actually part of the Ecomuseo dell'Argentario (Monte Calisio), which help tourists discover the region from a historical-archeological and environmental point of view. Furthermore, it is also the site of a Roman settlement, as proved by the ancient tombs and coins - depicting Domitian, Trajan, Titus as well as other emperors - discovered near the church of Santo Stefano.
Fornace is one of the towns belonging to the so-called quadrilatero del porfido (porphyry quadrilateral) together with Albiano and Lona-Lases.
Numerous traditional, sporting as well as food-&-wine events are held here, attracting many tourists. Mountain-flavoured local dishes are served in the area and feature delicious wines, schnapps, cheese, chestnuts, honey, berries and mushrooms.
