San Bernardino Stone

This stone, located along the Via Maggiore near the entrance to the Via Rua, has a long history dating back to ancient times, when it was common for creditors to request the recovery of their debts by means of a person who would torment the insolvent debtor to remind him to pay back what was owed.

The debtor had to sit on the stone for a set number of hours depending on the amount of money to be repaid and, with this gesture, publicly admit his failure. The San Bernardino stone is even more important because of the figure of San Bernardino, known as ‘Beato’, who was born in Feltre in 1439. He dedicated his life to defending the weak against usury, travelling through northern Italy many times barefoot against harsh weather conditions, the hatred of usurers and Jews, and against wars.

The Pietra di San Bernardino is a place of great importance for the history and culture of San Donato Val di Comino and is a unique tourist attraction not to be missed by anyone visiting this fascinating town.