When visiting the antique mountain centres of the Upper Savio valley, one cannot but be struck by the use a greyish stone, sometimes with greenish shades, locally known as "Pietra Serena" (sandstone).

Bridges, churches, public and private buildings, stairways, windows sills, doorways, church altars and columns dating back to the dark Middle Ages have kept their beauty unaltered up to our days. But it is likely that the sandstone quarrying activity in the Upper Savio valley began over 2,300 years ago in the quarry of Turrito di Sarsina.

In fact, it seems that from this large bank originating from the local Miocenic marly-arenaceous formation materials were extracted in Roman times for particular use in the nearby urban centre of Sarsina (ancient Umbrian city, then Roman Municipium from 266 b.C.) and in the acropolis of Calbano.

Findings of particular interest made with this stone can be found in the National Archaeological Museum of Sarsina.
Also the Romanesque basilica of S. Maria Assunta, the Palazzo Pretorio and the thermal baths of S. Agnese in Bagno di Romagna, and especially Castel d'Alfero, the stone village par excellence, a real jewel of the late medieval town-planning, are all worthy of a visit for their great artistic value.

From a socio-economic viewpoint, the sandstone quarrying activity was started to meet the internal needs and to integrate the poor agricultural revenue of the people living in the restricted plain areas of these tiny valleys flanking the Savio river.

This promiscuous situation contributed to determine a slowing down of the abandonment of these settlings, set between the mountains, often close to the quarry areas. This man-environment-economy symbiosis also led to the maintenance and often improvement of the habitat thanks to a constant restoration of the quarry areas through reforestation and reclamation.

The today's visible and appreciable outcome consists of woods, vineyards and green pasture lands there where yesterday only stone slabs and some bushes existed.

Another topical element for relaunching this activity is the set of regulations concerning the quarrying activity of the municipalities involved through which the latter will be able to provide more qualified answers to the needs of the businesses. A further strengthening in terms of employment and technology can result from it as well as the valorisation of the artistic forms of this noble craft which, over the centuries, produced an exceptional tradition of quarrymen and stonecutters acknowledged everywhere for their skill and their works.