Castel Bolognese and Solarolo are two villages rooted in a “middle land”, between the hills and the Ravenna plains: where the best elements of both merge, for a quiet and high quality level of life.
The Via Emilia, which crosses Castel Bolognese and touches Solarolo, and the proximity to Imola and Faenza, have granted these towns an interesting historical vivacity.
The castle was built by the Bolognese Senate in 1388, as a free area on the faentine border: from this, Castel Bolognese takes its name. Over two centuries, the village enlarged and the castle was fortified with solid walls against firearms. In some areas of the town centre, some remains of the walls, fortress and towers are still visible.
The MaAB - Angelo Biancini Open air Museum, displays the works of the sculptor from Castel Bolognese, along the streets and squares of the historic centre.
To know
Some of Biancini's artworks are exhibited at the Castel Bolognese Civic Museum, open to the public in the morning, on the first and third Sunday of each month.
About 2 km from the village centre lies the Mulino Scodellino, the last surviving example of a series of mills built between the 14th and 15th centuries along the canal from which they took their name.
The Mill probably owes its name Scodellino to the “scudella”, a quantity of flour kept by the miller.
To know
The Mulino can be visited upon reservation or in the occasion of the many events which are realised over the year.
This itinerary moves then to Solarolo, once known as Castrum Solaroli, a small village surrounded by the plains, for a long time wanted and disputed by local political powers: ruled by the Manfredi family, lords of Faenza until 1501, it was later seized by then the Venetian Republic took over. It was given as a pledge to the Gonzaga family of Mantova and then to the Papal State.
Solarolo town centre shows the traces of different ages: archaeological remains, Medieval walls and fascinating 19th century villas.
Events
The popular and authentic soul of the two towns finds its best expression during two festivals, a good occasion to get to know the local culture and the Romagna gastronomic tradition:
