Rocchetta Mattei

Emilia-Romagna, an Italian region officially born on 7th June 1970, by the union of two historical regions: Emilia and Romagna. It borders with one of the smallest countries in the world, the Republic of San Marino.

Romagna and its provinces of Ravenna and Forlì, are renowned for some beach resorts of the Adriatic Sea; they, during the summer, attract tourists from around the world. Emilia, with its beautiful cities, includes the internal territory that is crossed from the Apennine mountain range that looks like a sort of backbone of the Italian peninsula.

The Golden Scope today goes to the northern Apennine, in Bologna’s metropolitan area and more precisely in the municipality of Grizzana Morandi, about 4000 inhabitants, where there is a castle with a charming architecture: Rocchetta Mattei.

In 1850 the Count Cesare Mattei purchased the land that included the ruins of the ancient fortress of Savignano and in the same year he started the construction of the castle, he called it the “Rocchetta”.  He taking care of the direction of the work and finally in 1859, he established there his residence.

The count went on the works to his “Rocchetta” for all life, making changes and several interventions. after his death in 1896, the adopted son Mario Venturoli completed this very special castle that is placed at 407 meters above sea level.

This castle is a successful mix of styles, from medieval to Moorish; it’s very attractive both you observe it from afar then from the bottom… but you can also admire the beauty up close or from within. The interior has been restored by Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Bologna that in 2005 it bought it with the intent to preserve and so they are accessible to the public from 2015.

Rocchetta Mattei, this name is in honor of the noble family that made the construction on top of the medieval complex belonged to Emperor Frederick Barbarossa II and Ottone I.

Before choosing the Savignano fortress as the place for the construction of his castle, the Count Cesare Mattei visited different others places. This choice take place also because the rocky hill was a solid foundation on which to erect the complex and also for the isolated location, at 400 meters above sea level.

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