Brisighella: a treasure of art and archeology in the Vena del Gesso Park

The route begins in the village of Brisighella, which is easily accessible by both car and train.

The historic center is characterized by historic buildings, pastel-colored houses, ancient alleys, and stairways carved into the chalky rock.

The 19th-century building of the former Magistrate’s Court, in Piazzetta Porta Gabalo, houses the Giuseppe Ugonia Civic Museum, dedicated to the famous 20th-century painter and lithographer, originally from Faenza but deeply connected to Brisighella.

The museum offers visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in Ugonia’s artistic world through a rich collection of paintings, lithographs, and engravings. The works on display offer an interesting perspective on daily life in Romagna over the centuries, allowing visitors to explore local culture and traditions.

Some of Ugonia’s engravings, dedicated to this region, are on display in the world’s most prestigious museums, from the British Museum in London to the Uffizi in Florence. In addition to its permanent collection, the museum regularly hosts temporary exhibitions that explore themes related to local and international art, further enriching the visitor experience.

On the second floor, works are preserved that come mainly from local churches, taking us on a journey through artistic styles and local traditions from the 15th to the 20th century. The museum also houses Guercino’s altarpiece of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Louis of Toulouse, dated 1618, and a 15th-century polychrome terracotta nativity scene made in Faenza.

Useful Info

If you arrive by car, you can park near the train station and from there explore the village in just a few minutes.

After visiting the Ugonia Museum, you reach the charming Via degli Asini: a raised, covered street bathed in soft natural light filtering through the characteristic arched windows.

Along this route, after climbing a staircase of 350 steps, you head toward the three hills overlooking the village, each of which is home to three of its most significant historical monuments.

The first monument is the Clock Tower, from which visitors can enjoy a splendid panoramic view of the village, the chalk cliffs, and the badlands surrounding Brisighella.

Built in 1290 by Maghinardo Pagani da Susinana, one of the most famous military leaders of Romagna, it served as part of the local defensive system until the High Renaissance. It was completely renovated in 1850 with the addition of a clock.

As you climb the steep steps leading to the top of the tower, you are enveloped by a magical atmosphere, filled with the sensation of being privileged witnesses to a thousand-year-old history.

Curiosity

The tower has a six-hour clock, known as a “Roman-style” clock, with a single central hand that makes four complete revolutions around the dial to cover the 24-hour cycle.

Following the scenic road that runs alongside the tower itself, you can reach Brisighella’s second hill, where the Rocca Manfrediana, built in 1310, stands majestically. This imposing fortress includes the "Torrione Veneziano" and the ancient "Torricino," constituting an important example of medieval military architecture.

Inside, you can visit the Museum of Man and Gypsum, which traces a historical journey through the connection between man and the land, with a particular focus on gypsum—the material that defines the nature, history, and society of Brisighella.

On display here are artifacts from various locations within the Vena del Gesso Romagnola Park, accompanied by an illustrative video on the extraction of Lapis Specularis. Additionally, visitors can explore an educational section dedicated to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, where the “Talking Stones” narrate the history of the Manfredian Fortress through an interactive multimedia experience, enriched by music and narration.

Starting from the Rocca and following CAI Trail 511, you’ll reach the third hill of Brisighella, where the Monticino Sanctuary, built in the 18th century, stands. Currently, the Sanctuary can only be viewed from the outside, but the façade is still worth a stop.

Near the sanctuary is the Monticino Geological Museum, an area that preserves a rich geological, paleontological, and natural heritage, where visitors can learn about the geological history of this land and the processes that formed the hills.

Along the trails, numerous educational panels guide visitors on a discovery of the open-air museum.

Curiosity

Many of the fossils found at the Monticino Museum are housed at the Domenico Malmerendi Civic Museum of Natural Sciences in Faenza.

From here, it’s easy to access the CAI 511 trail and follow the signs to Carnè Park and its mountain hut.

By taking the CAI 505 trail, known as the Sentiero degli Abissi, you can explore various gorges, caves, sinkholes, and ravines in the area, marked by the characteristic red-and-white trail markers with the letters SA.

This trail leads you to Monte Rontana, a hill 484 meters above sea level, covered in vegetation and dominated by the ruins of the ancient Rontana Castle.

The medieval site is the subject of a long-term excavation and research project conducted by the University of Bologna, which has brought to light new findings, thereby expanding our understanding of the complex’s structure.

Near the castle ruins stands a large cross, erected in commemoration of the Holy Year of 1901 and restored in 1961.

The return trip will follow the same route as the outbound journey.

Curiosity

The castle was built in gypsum, with its foundations carved directly into the rock of Monte Rontana, and gypsum is also a key building material for this settlement.