Castiglione dei Pepoli lies at the foot of Monte Gatta, in the Bolognese Apennines, on the border with Tuscany. Located in an area overlooking the valley of Brasimone, i offers a wonderful view.
At the center of the town stands the ancient Palazzo Pepoli, built towards the end of the fifteenth century, enlarged between the sixteenth and eighteenth century and now the headquarters of the Municipal Administration. On the wall of the tower, near the archway, you can see the commemorative plaque of the first Tree Festival held in Italy in 1899.
On the opposite side of the square stands the beautiful Public Clock Tower built in 1724. Another place to visit is the old Church dedicated to the Madonna della Consolazione or della Cintura; it is the oldest place of worship in Castiglione dating back to the seventeenth century and later rebuilt. Inside, in addition to the statue of the Blessed Virgin, there are other works from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Last stop, the Church of San Lorenzo, patron saint of Castiglione dei Pepoli (16th century). Inside, at the back, the fresco of San Lorenzo in Estasi in front of the Vergine sulle Nubi is the work of the Bolognese painter Giacomo Cavedoni.
In the old rebuilt centre, the town hall stands out, an architectonic complex consisting of a palace and tower of the 16th century.
Nearby are the lakes of S. Damiano and Brasimone known for fishing and sports activities.
Nearby, near Baragazza, in the middle of splendid forests, lies the Bocca di Rio sanctuary, one of the most famous sanctuaries of the Apennines and a destination of pilgrimages from all over Italy.
The Santuario della Madonna di Bocca di Rio, built in Baragazza in the place where, according to legend, in 1480, two little shepherds had an apparition of the Virgin who asked them to erect in that forest a temple in her honor. The sanctuary is one of the most famous in the Apennines and is a destination for pilgrimages from all over Italy.
Five kilometers from Castiglione dei Pepoli is the spectacular artificial lake named Lago Brasimone built in 1911 with a dam 32 meters high. The body of water is 800 meters long and is an ideal place for walks, fishing and water sports.
