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The small church of San Niccolò stands completely isolated on top of a hill along the road that climbs through the woods of Valcaldara in the municipality of Monte Cavallo.
Not far away, hidden by the vegetation, some ruins can be seen: they belong to the castle known as “Vallis Caldariae” which, originally owned by the Baschi family, became part of the Da Varano lordship.
That of San Niccolò, built between 1100 and 1200, is a castle church and therefore it is well distinguished from the parish churches, desired and directly controlled by the bishop and managed by the parish priest, the priest elected to care for souls. Unlike the parish church, the castle (or castrale) church was commissioned by the local lords and built within a fortified nucleus, the Castle, helping to increase the prestige and power of the lord. Other examples of castle churches are recognizable in the church of Sant’Angelo di Prefoglio and in that of San Giusto in San Maroto
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