Continuing along Via San Martino, on the right is Vico Papa, where Casa Sferra stands. On its façade, some noble coats of arms are still visible, which local tradition associates with the visit of Pope Clement VII to Itri, identifying this house as his possible residence. Another tradition suggests it was the birthplace of Pope Urban VI.
A particularly noteworthy feature is the gutter on the façade, designed to channel rainwater into a cistern. What makes it unique is that the gutter is made of tiles supported by human bones. These bones, exposed to the elements, have hardened rather than deteriorated, resisting the passage of time.
As mentioned, the palace may have been the birthplace of Pope Urban VI, born Bartolomeo Prignano (1318–1389). Born in Itri, he became the Archbishop of Bari and was elected pope on 8 April 1378.
Urban VI was a very austere pope who initiated Church reforms. He began profound changes starting with the cardinals, whose lifestyles were considered too lax for their roles. Among his reformist actions, he declared war on simony and expressed the intention to return the papal seat to Rome, which was then located in Avignon.
His firmness sparked conflicts: the cardinals, supported by Onorato I Caetani and Queen Joanna I of Naples, elected an antipope, Robert of Geneva, under the name Clement VII. This led to a schism that deeply affected the Church’s unity, giving rise to the famous “Western Schism.”
