The location is, as the close hamlet of Castel d'Arno, linked with the Umbrian-Etruscan-Roman city of Arna, since the V-IV Centuries, on the territory between the rivers Tevere and Chiascio. It is probable that the name derives from the Latin word “ripa” (shore), as in former times it faced the ancient lake “Umber”, today drained.A settlement of a certain importance was there since 1266, when the city of Perugia built there a watch castle facing Assisi territory and the via Flaminia (the Roman road linking Rome to Rimini and therefore to the East coast); it was characterized by external circular walls with two main entrance: the Montarone, southwards and the Porticella, northwards.Since the half of the XVI Century Ripa became mainly farm land, feud of the Ansidei Family. Around the half of the del XIX Century it witnessed banditry episodes in the area, with famous chieftains with picturesque names as Cinicchia and Ortica (Little one and Nettle).In the main square a fresco with a “Madonna delle Grazie”, by the Senese school, from the XIV Century. Interesting also the church of Pieve di Santa Maria di Ripa, built around the X and XI centuries by the Benedectine monks of the close monastery of San Giustino d'Arna; afterwards it became property of the Templars monks and the Malta Knights.