Director of the National Association of the City of Truffles
Antonella Brancadoro
It is an Umbrian town in the province of Perugia that rises 566 meters above sea level on a pre-Apennine hill in the inner belt of the Umbrian-Marche Apennines, between the Upper Tiber Valley and the ridge of the Serra di Burano. It has 2300 inhabitants and, due to its territorial extension of 140.24 square kilometers, is one of the largest Umbrian municipalities.
The historic center consists of the medieval village gathered by the walls and protected in the highest part by the pentagonal defense tower, commonly called Rocca. The foundation of the urban center is traced back to the Umbrian people with the name of Tufi (ernu). The Roman period was flourishing, of which significant testimonies remain. There are, however, evidence of settlements already in prehistoric times, such as the flute on a human tibia preserved in the Archaeological Museum of Perugia, castles scattered throughout the territory and various finds.
Destroyed during the barbarian invasions, Pietralunga was rebuilt between the sixth century and the eighth century AD. on today’s hill, at the center of the junction of two important road tracks. Once the first Lombard manor house was solidified, Pietralunga was transformed into a fortified village, welcoming numerous inhabitants and assuming the shape of a citadel.
Characteristic of the territory is the succession of hills that break up into winding valleys where thick forests of Turkey oak and downy oak cover the slopes and valley floors. The state-owned forest of Pietralunga-Bocca Serriola today encompasses most of the abandoned farms in the area, reaching the size of over 10 thousand hectares and constitutes the main green lung of Umbria.
The Pietralunga forest is famous not only for the products it offers, but for another sensorial aspect, the colors that the leaves take on in the mixed woods between October and November, so much so that it has earned the nickname of Valley of Colors. Among the quality products of the territory there are, together with meats and cured meats, those linked to this geographical characteristic of the territory, therefore the berries, mushrooms and the prized white truffle. Every year, in October, the Pietralunga Truffle and White Potato Market Exhibition brings thousands of people to the alleys of the village.
