What to see in Bagnara di Romagna
Discover the must-see places!
Bagnara di Romagna is a fortified village rich in history, art, and unique architecture.
The Rocca di Bagnara is a medieval fortress built in the 15th century by the lords of Imola, the Riario-Sforza family, on the ruins of the medieval castrum, originally constructed in 1354 by Barnabò Visconti and destroyed in 1428 during the battle against Angiolo della Pergola. Girolamo Riario, lord of Imola from 1482 to 1488, initiated the reconstruction of the fortress, giving it the appearance it retains to this day.
After his untimely death, his widow, Caterina Sforza, oversaw the completion of the fortress. The keep and the loggia date back to this period. The keep is considered by many scholars to be “one of the finest works of fortification art of the 15th century in Italy.” It is divided into three levels of casemates, consisting of large circular rooms covered with well-preserved hemispherical brick vaults.
In addition to the keep, other elements of great interest include the central courtyard, which still preserves its Renaissance appearance, some interior rooms with original wooden ceilings, the iron supports of the drawbridge on the southern side, the loggias along the east and north walls, the water reserve well, and the spiral staircase made of 78 superimposed sandstone monoliths. These are all characteristic features of the refined "16th-century style." Since 2008, the upper floor of the fortress has housed the "Castle Museum," an exhibition tracing the history of the town from the Bronze Age to the present day.
This museum is dedicated to composer and conductor Pietro Mascagni (1863–1945), renowned for his opera Cavalleria Rusticana. It was founded thanks to the wishes of Anna Lolli (1888–1972), a native of Bagnara, who was Mascagni’s muse and confidante. She decided to donate all the valuable materials collected throughout her life to the local parish. Inside the museum, visitors can find numerous personal belongings of the Maestro, including a piano, autographed photographs, musical scores, and, most notably, around 5,000 love letters exchanged between Lolli and Mascagni from 1910 to 1944—a precious daily diary filled with stories and deep emotions.
Inaugurated in 1965, the Historical Parish Museum of Sacred Art was established within the parish premises by Monsignor A. Mongardi. The main hall houses a collection of finely crafted sacred furnishings from the parish and surrounding areas, along with a valuable selection of liturgical vestments dating from the 16th to the 19th century. Among the highlights are a rare antiphonary and a gradual dated 1520. Notable artworks include an altarpiece by Innocenzo da Imola (1515), 15 small panels depicting the Mysteries of the Rosary from the 16th century, and a 15th-century wooden Cristo from the Flemish school. The museum also preserves objects donated by Pope Pius IX, who was once the Bishop of Imola and Count of Bagnara. Adjacent to the main hall, a smaller room holds the historical core of the Parish Archive, containing important paper copies of documents dating from 1252 to 1573.
Affiliated with the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran – Rome The first historical record indicating the presence of a Christian community in Bagnara di Romagna dates back to the year 855. Written evidence of the parish church, dedicated to Saints John the Baptist and Andrew the Apostle, appears in 1484. It was likely built after the destruction of the Church of St. Andrew in the ancient castle of the same name, on the site of the Oratory of St. John, which was already mentioned in a papal bull by Pope Honorius II in 1129.
The present building, with a single vaulted nave, reflects three distinct construction phases.
- The first phase (13th–14th century) is evident from ancient masonry remains at the lower sections of the side walls.
- In 1653 (second phase), the church was partially rebuilt and expanded with the addition of eight side chapels. It had three side entrances and a main entrance on the unfinished façade, sheltered by a portico.
- The third phase (1752–1774) saw renovations by Imola architect Cosimo Morelli, who restructured the side chapels and rebuilt the apse and presbytery. He adorned them with stucco decorations, a monumental altarpiece, and a faux-marble scagliola altar crafted by the Dalla Quercia brothers of Imola.
The church suffered damage during the last war, including the collapse of the Chianei organ (1786), necessitating restoration of the façade and reconstruction of the bell tower. The organ was finally restored and repositioned in 1995.
The church, consisting of a single nave with a Romanesque-style beam ceiling, was built in 1452 on top of an older oratory, mentioned in historical records from 1202 and 1371. The place of worship was annexed to a modest hospital, which was not a medical facility but a shelter for pilgrims. They were accommodated in two separate rooms—one for laypeople and the other for clergy. In the 19th century, some spaces were designated for disabled individuals. These facilities left much to be desired due to their small size and poor sanitary conditions. In 1876, the portico in front of the church was removed, and in 1914, the hospital was converted into a Poorhouse, managed by the Charity Congregation. The church, also known as the Church of the Hospital or "Chiesuola," was completely rebuilt after World War II. It was used for religious purposes for a few more years, but today, it serves as a parish auditorium, hosting opera concerts and theatrical performances.
In 1705, a cleric from Bagnara, Antonio Maria di Lucantonio Bellosi, devoutly hung an image of the Virgin on an ancient oak tree in the Campore area, at the crossroads of the main road to Lugo and the rural Bellosi lane, now called Molinello. For decades, this place became a site of worship, and the image began to attract ex-votos, which soon covered the oak as a sign of gratitude for received graces. Thanks to the efforts of several priests, a "chapel-hut" was built to better protect the oak with the sacred icon, and a temporary altar was also placed inside. On the day a woman suffering from a throat illness was healed by the water from a nearby pool, the Madonna of the Bellosi became known as the "Madonna del Soccorso" (Madonna of Relief). In 1765, the archpriest Berti Ceroni commissioned the Imola-born architect Cosimo Morelli to design a sanctuary. On November 20, 1770, although the façade of the sanctuary was not yet completed, the inaugural ceremony was held, with the sacred image removed from the oak and carried in procession to the church.
According to the new principles of defensive architecture that emerged during the Renaissance, circular towers were built at the corners of the walls to minimize the exposed surface and angles vulnerable to attackers' shots. The defensive system centered around the Rocca Sforzesca of Bagnara includes the entrance gate, rebuilt after the war, and five small bastions—three at the corners and two "rompitratta" (diagonal bastions). The Torrioncello, located to defend the north-west corner of the wall, which is clearly recognizable in its later transformations, had been out of use for many years. Thanks to recent renovation work, it has become the home of the Municipal Library and the Historical Archive.
Villa Morsiani, one of the most important historic residences in our region, was built in the 15th century. It has always been the home of the Morsiani family and is also the site of a renowned St. Bernard dog breeding center. When first constructed, the building was fortified and served military and guard duties, much like the nearby Rocca Sforzesca from the same period. Traces of that era remain visible on the exterior, including the defensive wall, which once stretched for a mile and a half, numerous arrow slits and embrasures for culverins, and gun loops placed along the internal staircases for crossfire defense.
Surrounded by a vast, centuries-old park—with several trees considered "green monuments," including a 30-meter oak and a 40-meter black poplar—the Counts of Morsiani permanently converted the villa into a noble residence in the 18th century. The family chapel, located within the villa, also dates back to this period. The furnishings, decorations, and household items span from the 15th to the 19th century, reflecting the family's enduring cultural, artistic, and historical interests. The Morsiani family has medieval origins, and one of its notable ancestors was Pietro Andrea Morsiano, mentioned in a 1475 document as the author of a treatise on medicine and surgery. He was a descendant of Morsiano Fortebraccio Morsiani, a knight of the last feudal crusade. An interesting feature of the villa is its 16 fireplaces from various periods, including one from the 1400s and another that fills an entire room—the largest fireplace in the region.
The "Prati di Sant’Andrea" consists of an elliptical-shaped mound, the site of the ancient castle of Bagnara, which was founded during the Roman era and destroyed in 1222 during the battle between the Bolognese and Imolesi forces. Today, the area is a park with sections designed for walking and resting, where grass is mowed more frequently, and other areas intentionally left more "wild," allowing vegetation to grow freely. This approach supports blooming plants and provides a habitat for wildlife, from pollinating insects to small mammals, helping to preserve biodiversity. To further this goal, artificial lighting is limited to the "archaeological workshop" near the entrance, reducing light pollution as much as possible. The site still prominently features a medieval motte—an artificial mound created by centuries of habitation—surrounded by a broad depression that originally served as a defensive moat. The motte was once enclosed by a wooden palisade. Excavations carried out in 2005 and 2021 uncovered remains of dwelling foundations made from perishable materials, hearths placed on domestic activity surfaces, wells, and structures used for artisanal work. Many artifacts discovered, which provide insight into daily life at the site, are now housed in the Museum of the Castle of Bagnara di Romagna.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, entry into the Castle of Bagnara was through a single gate located on the southern side of the walls. The current gate, situated to the west toward Imola, dates back at least to 1603. Access to the walled town was controlled by a "portonaro," an official appointed by the municipality. His duties included arriving at the gate in the morning to ensure that no one entered armed and closing it after the evening "Ave Maria" prayer at sunset, preventing anyone from entering or leaving after hours. In 1815, a new clock tower was built above the gate, replacing the one previously located atop the Town Hall, whose roof had become unsafe. The town gate was destroyed during the final stages of World War II in Bagnara in 1945. It was rebuilt in 1951-52 based on the design of the original. However, without its tower and clock, the gate was restored to its 1815 appearance.
The Town Hall has stood in the central square for countless years, serving as the location for Council meetings. Council members were personally notified by the donzello (a page responsible for official duties), who also announced the meeting in the square to ensure all citizens were aware of the gathering. The building underwent renovations in 1608 and again in 1780, when a room was added to house the weights and sample measures. During the nearly two-decade-long French occupation, the Town Hall was used as a barracks for soldiers, while the municipal offices were moved to the Rocca. From 1776, one of the ground-floor rooms was designated as the location for a pharmacy, which was entrusted to the apothecary Luigi Reggi. The town provided furnishings and supplied valuable vases for the pharmacy.
In 1807, after Reggi's death, the pharmacy was handed over to various managers under informal verbal agreements, which led to legal disputes between the town and the pharmacists. The valuable vases were destroyed or lost during the last war. Toward the end of the 20th century, the pharmacy business was transferred to a private owner. In 1908, the town purchased an adjacent house, expanded the building, and rebuilt the loggia in front, giving the square a regular geometric shape. After the Second World War, the Town Hall was almost completely restored, and in 1961, it became the site of the middle school. In 2008, it returned to housing the offices of the Municipal Administration.
This historic building is located on the eastern side of Piazza Marconi.
According to the 1620 cadastral records, the noble Genoese family, the Doria, owned significant real estate in the Bagnara area, including a property that, until the end of the 17th century and into the mid-18th century, was an ancient inn with a post station and also served as a place for a small religious community.
The heart of the palace is a charming cloister with a loggia made of selenite, located in the center of the eastern side, and it likely represents the oldest part of the building.
Originally, some rooms were adorned with delicate decorative frescoes, and the important staircase leading to the first floor features a fine wooden balustrade, probably crafted by a local master carpenter. It still bears a cartouche dated around 1810.
From the 1970s, the palace suffered from abandonment and deterioration until the restoration in 2004, which returned Palazzo Fabbri to its former glory, highlighting its original flooring, the ancient kitchen, and, of course, the cloister, which overlooks an elegant little balcony.
The village of Bagnara di Romagna, with its charming historic center enclosed within the defensive walls, is the only example of a fully preserved medieval castrum in the plains of Romagna. The defensive system, originally medieval but completed by the will of Caterina Sforza at the end of the 15th century, takes a rectangular form inspired by the Roman camp model and dominates the green of the moats, which are still clearly visible today.
Its heart is centered around the Rocca, and it is complemented by four circular bastions, like the towers of the Castle, designed to withstand artillery fire from bombards at the dawn of the spread of gunpowder weapons. Historically, the village had a single entrance gate, marked by a civic tower. During the Napoleonic era, three additional smaller openings were created at the cardinal points.
The name "Bagnara" is derived from the older designation "Silva Bagnaria" (or "Balnearia"), which clearly refers to the characteristic flood-prone nature of the Romagna plain, once rich in stagnant waters and dense forests.
Inaugurated on April 8, 2018, this magnificent mural entitled "Caterina: Tiger of Romagna," located on a large wall visible to those arriving from Via Garibaldi, near the Porta di Bagnara, was created by the young Argentine artist Guido Palmadessa in just five days of work. The mural depicts Caterina Sforza, who was the Lady of Bagnara, holding a sword in her hand. Next to her is a tiger, and in the background, the Rocca Sforzesca, with its loggia and keep, representing the two architectural elements of the castle associated with her intervention. The tiger recalls the nickname given to her in Renaissance chronicles, later supplemented with the title of "lioness." Both nicknames symbolize her strong and courageous character, which allowed her to leave a significant mark on history.
The Chapel of Saint Luigi is a private place of worship located at the very beginning of Via della Madonna (named after the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Soccorso). It was already mentioned in the 1783 cadastral records as belonging to Luigi Matteucci, who likely also gave the chapel its name in honor of Saint Luigi.
A detailed plan of the Oratory of Saint Luigi Gonzaga dates back to 1811 (Napoleonic cadastral records), but during a recent restoration of the chapel, a holy water font was discovered bearing the date 1626, along with a coat of arms that belongs to the Matteucci family.
Devotion to Saint Luigi, the patron saint of the Jesuits, was particularly strong among the people, and his feast day was celebrated on June 21st. Since 1972, the entire architectural complex has belonged to the Rinaldi family.
