Castiglione dei Pepoli
Loiano
Monghidoro
Monterenzio

Monzuno
Pianoro
Sasso Marconi
S.Benedetto Val di Sambro

Castiglione dei Pepoli

Castiglione dei Pepoli
Altitude: 700 m above sea level
Town hall: Piazza Marconi, 1 - 40035
Tel. +39 0534 801 611 - Fax +39 0534 801 700
Website: http://www.comune.castiglionedeipepoli.bo.it/
Hamlets: Baragazza, Creda, Lagaro, Rasora, Sparvo.

Short historical description
In the Apennines south-east of Bologna , just after San Benedetto Val di Sambro you find Castiglione dei Pepoli. This village is situated between the highest mountains of the area: Monte Gatta ( 1158 m ), Monte Bagucci, Monte Coroncina and Monte Tavianella. In the hamlet Baragazza you find the Sanctuary of Madonna di Bocca di Rio (picture), emerged in the spot where, as the legend tells, in 1480 on July 16 two shepherds, Cornelia Evangelisti and Donato Nuttini, saw a miraculous apparition of the holy virgin, who asked them to build a temple in her honour in that forest. That's how the legend explains the origin of this sanctuary, one of the most famous in the Apennines and destination of pilgrimages from all parts of Italy : in the spot where the apparition took place a little temple was built, then expanded at the end of the 16 th cent. and of the 18 th cent. until finally Venturoli gave it its current form.

Loiano

Loiano
Altitude: 713 m above sea level
Town hall: Via Roma, 55 - 40050 Loiano (Bo)
Tel. +39 051 654 36 11 - Fax +39 051 654 52 46
E-mail: comloian@iperbole.bologna.it
Website: http://www2.comune.bologna.it/bologna/comloian
Hamlets: Anconella, Barbarolo, Bibulano, Roncastaldo, Scanello, Scascoli

Short historical description
In the Apennines south-east of Bologna , following the most beautiful panoramic road of the region, you arrive in Loiano. The centre is known in the first place for the Astronomical Observatory of the University of Bologna . It was built in 1936 and contains two observation stations, from where you can observe the sky with powerful telescopes. In the centre of Loiano (picture) there are also historical buildings worth a visit. First of all the Church of San Giacomo and Santa Margherita, from the 14 th century, built by the Augustinians; the chorus and the bell tower date back to the 18 th century, the cupola to 1933. The Church displays two beautiful paintings from the 18 th century: “Madonna, Bambino e S. Giacomo” by Calvart and “Madonna del Carmine” by A. Pio. In 1859 Pope Pius VII stayed at Villa Loup after meeting Napoleon in Paris . The same year the abolition of the customs barriers was decided between Tuscany , Romagna, Modena and Parma . On October 21, 1786 Goethe spent a night at the hotel “Della Corona” on his way to Florence , and reported this event in his book “Italian Journey”.

Section Villages and Paths

Monghidoro

Monghidoro
Altitude: 841 m above sea level
Town Hall: Via Matteotti, 1 - 40063 Monghidoro (Bo)
Tel. +39 051 655 56 40 - Fax +39 051 655 55 20
Website: http://www.comune.monghidoro.bo.it/
E-mail: segretario@comune.monghidoro.bo.it
Hamlets: Piamaggio, Campeggio, Frassineta, Vergiano

Short historical description
In the Apennines south-east of Bologna you find the village of Monghidoro, formerly called Scaricalasino (unload the donkey): in this place, being a papal customs office on the border with Tuscany , people had to allow the control of the burdens carried by their animals. The region is of great naturalistic value and full of woods (picture) and picturesque rural buildings. Catholics might consider the Sanctuary of Madonna dei Boschi worth a detour. It was built in 1680 and features an image of the Madonna of San Luca, which is carried every year in the parish to allow the parishioners to formulate their requests to the Holy Virgin. Nearby, in Vergiano, the ancient Church of San Alessandro is situated, and a group of houses from the 16 th century.

Monterenzio

Monterenzio
Altitude: 200 m above sea level
Town hall: Piazza Guerrino De Giovanni, 1 - 40050 Monterenzio (Bo)
Tel. +39 051 929 002 - Fax +39 051 929 292
Website: http://www.comune.monterenzio.bologna.it/
E-mail: urp@comune.monterenzio.bologna.it
Hamlets: Bisano, S.Benedetto del Querceto, Sassonero, Rignano Bolognese, Vignale, Sassuno, Pizzano, Cassano

Short historical description
In the Apennines south-east of Bologna, passing Mercatale, you reach the village of Monterenzio, that covers a big area of the Apennines between the valley of the river Idice and the valley of the river Sillaro. From 1298 on the records mention the Castle of Monterenzio : it was destroyed by the troops of Barbarossa and by the war between Bologna and Ferrara . Then there are no further traces in the local records from the middle of the 14 th century on, but there is lots of evidence of the medieval origins of the centre. Between the new part, Monterenzio Nuovo, and the old one, Monterenzio Vecchio, rises the 13 th century Tower, the most important place in the village of Scaruglio , with origin in the 14 th century. Heading down in the direction of the river Idice you find another village, Villa di Cassano. Its buildings have origins in the second half of the 14 th century and the following century. On the massif of Monte Bibele, not far from Monterenzio, ruins of an Etruscan-Celtic village with origin in the 4 th century B.C. have been discovered. The excavations brought to light graves, buildings, streets and a lot of objects of daily use, like crockery containing carbonized seeds, utensils, decorations, arms and coins.

Nowadays these finds can be seen in the Archaeological Museum “Luigi Fantini” in Monterenzio. You also can admire important funerary equipment from the close necropolis, containing the emblematic iron helmet with bronze appliqués (picture), Palaeolithic and Mesolithic tools, fragments of Roman pottery, papers, documents and photographs that witness the history of the Valley of the river Idice.

Monzuno

Monzuno
Altitude: 630 m above sea level
Town Hall: Via Casaglia, 4 - 40036 Monzuno (Bo)
Tel. +39 051 677 33 11 - Fax +39 051 677 01 44
Website: http://www.comune.monzuno.bologna.it/
Email: segretario@comune.monzuno.bologna.it
Hamlets: Vado, Rioveggio

Short historical description
In the Apennines south-east of Bologna, turning off the road “Porrettana” onto the “Strada del Setta”, after climbing up for about 10 kilometres you arrive in Monzuno. The name probably comes from Jove (Mons Zeus) or from Juno (Mons Juno) and it got the rights of an independent commune in 1803. The populated area you see now is modern, but has the big advantage of facing a beautiful valley with lots of interesting historical sights and naturalistic spots worth a visit. The Church of San Giovanni Evangelista , rebuilt in 1891, has a surprising baroque interior. Nearby, in Bigola, you find the Church of San Michele from the 14 th century, which was rebuilt in the 17 th cent. and has a baroque interior as well; inside you find a portrait of the Saint, a copy of the one by Reni kept in Rome . In Rioveggio you can admire the Castle of Elle , belonging to the Berti family, who possess also two partly renovated manor-houses: the one of the Polverara and the Tower of Montorio (picture). Not far away from Monzuno rises Monte Venere, 996 metres high, where there was once a temple dedicated to the goddess of love.

Pianoro

Pianoro
Altitude: 207 m above sea level
Town hall: Piazza dei Martiri, 1 - 40065 Pianoro (Bo)
Tel. +39 051 652 91 11 - Fax +39 051 774 299
Website: http://www.comune.pianoro.bo.it/
Hamlets: Pianoro nuovo, Musiano, Rastignano, Sesto, Pianoro Vecchio, Livergnano, S.Salvatore di Casola, Riosto, S.Maria di Zena, Gorgognano, Montecalvo, Montelungo, Guzzano.

Short historical description
In the Apennines south-east of Bologna, following the road “Della Futa” and going through Rastignano you find Pianoro; a kilometre before the old part Pianoro Vecchia there is the “Torre dei Lupari” from the 15 th cent., a building with a tower, a loggia and a fountain mask. The new centre of Pianoro rises three kilometres after the ancient one, where you ought to visit the Church of S. Giacomo Maggiore . It was restored in the 18 th cent. together with a kind of “pilgrim hospital”, which has been recorded since the 12 th century. 15 kilometres distant from Pianoro you find the “Monte delle Formiche” (Ant Mountain), an isolated mountain that gives you a beautiful view and that owes its name to a curious natural phenomenon: around September 8 th , the sacred day of the Madonna, swarms of flying ants reach the top of the mountain and enter the church where they finally die. Traditionally these insects are welcomed, blessed and distributed among the parishioners: the popular belief says that they cure certain diseases. At the foot of Monte delle Formiche is situated another interesting building, the Castle of Zena (picture), built near the river of the same name. The castle has medieval origins as well. Count Guido Selvatico di Dovadola was held prisoner in the manor in 1270, after getting caught by the Counts of Loiano and S. Lazzaro, and afterwards set free by the Bolognese. The Sanctuary of Monte delle Formiche, also known as S. Maria di Zena, was first built in the Middle Ages and restored various times, in 1297, in the 18 th and 19 th cent. and in 1955.

Sasso Marconi

Sasso Marconi
Altitude: 132 m above sea level
Town hall: Piazza dei Martiri, 6 - 40037 Sasso Marconi (Bo)
Tel. +39 051 843 511 - Fax +39 051 675 01 51
Email: lzini@smarconi.provincia.bologna.it
Website: http://www.comune.sassomarconi.bologna.it
Hamlets: Fontana, Badolo, Battedizzo, Pontecchio, Borgo Nuovo, Tigliano, Capoluogo

Short historical description
In the Apennines situated south-east of Bologna you find Sasso Marconi. It owes its name to the name of a cliff (Sasso) (picture) that rises not far from the confluence of the rivers Setta and Reno just above the important road Via Porettana, and to Guglielmo Marconi. The region contains lots of beautiful villas: Villa Fontana from the 15 th century, Villa delle Torrette (in front of which is situated the Oratorium of Santa Apollinia, with two Latin inscriptions from 1630), and Villa Quiete, which was the residence of the painter Francesco Albani: on one of the pavements you still notice a dark patch, perhaps of blood. The story goes that in the 16 th century a young man, member of the Caprara family, fell down at that point, lethally injured. The castle “Castello de' Rossi”, in Pontecchio, was built between 1482 and 1485: Pope Julius II was guest there in 1507 and Pope Paul III in 1541, and also the poet Torquato Tasso stayed there in 1587. Villa Fontana, also called Palazzo Sanuti, has origins in the 15 th century, and its courtyard has arcades and a beautiful fountain. Before entering Sasso Marconi you arrive at the district Pontecchio situated on the Via Porrettana, with the most important residence of the area: Villa il Griffone. In the park surrounding the Villa stands the Mausoleum where the famous scientist Guglielmo Marconi is buried. The Villa was built by the Griffoni brothers at the end of the 17 th century, but owes the current face to the Patuzzi family, who modified it in the 18 th century. The building passed to the Marconi family in 1895, and it was in these rooms that Guglielmo Marconi conducted his first experiments on wireless telegraphy.

S.Benedetto Val di Sambro

S.Benedetto Val di Sambro
Altitude: 600 m above sea level
Town hall: Via Roma, 39 - 40048 San Benedetto Val di Sambro (Bo)
Tel. +39 0534 95 026 - Fax +39 0534 95 595
Website: http://www.sambro.provincia.bo.it/
Email: Segretario@comune.sanbenedettovaldisambro.bo.it
Hamlets: Madonna dei fornelli, Castel dell'Alpi, Pian del Voglio, Montefredente, S.Andrea, Monte Acuto Vallese, Ripoli, Pian di Balestra, Cedrecchia, Zaccanesca, Qualto

Short historical description
In the Apennines south-east of Bologna you find San Benedetto Val di Sambro, originated due to the amalgamation of the villages of Pian del Voglio and Poggio dei Rossi, both having origins in ancient times. In Pian del Voglio you should visit the Palazzo Comitale with a 15 th century tower. It is situated next to the Church of San Giovanni Battista and was owned by the dominating family of the place, De' Bianchi, had the Medici as guests during their exile from Florence and was also the residence of the Cardinal Lambertini, before he was elected as Pope Benedict XIV. In Ripoli you find the Church of Sant'Andrea . Its existence back to the 14 th century is proved, and it was rebuilt at the end of the 17 th cent. Inside you can admire the painting of the Visitation of Madonna, supposed to be painted by Guido Reni. The small village of Madonna dei Fornelli owes its name to a pilgrimage church dedicated to Madonna della Neve, built in 1638 by the population in order to celebrate the end of the plague. You can see the image of the Holy Maria with Child on copper in the small temple, which was extended at the end of the 19 th cent. and at the beginning of the 20 th cent.

Another excellent destination for a little tour is Castel dell'Alpi on the edge of the lake with the same name (picture), seven kilometres from San Benedetto: In 1951 a mudflow blocked the flow of the river Savena and gave birth to this lovely artificial lake, where you can sunbathe and have nice picnics on its shore.