Crespellano: Churches, Palaces and Roman Traces

Crespellano is considered a small fortified village of Roman origin. Its history is reflected in churches from different periods, former fortifications and residences, and traces of Roman land surveying. These offer several distinct points of interest when planning a hotel stay: the town’s architectural and parish history, archaeological evidence near Pragatto, and the cultural landscape between Crespellano and Calcara.

Churches and architectural history

The church of San Savino in Crespellano was founded in the 16th century and renovated in the mid-18th century, then again in the early 19th century. It was the former parish seat, before the parish was moved to the church in the Castello. The church of San Francesco in Crespellano was built in 1232. In Pragatto, another historical trace points to 1148: a bull issued by Pope Eugene III mentions the parish church of Santa Maria Nascente together with the Castello di Pragatto. In Confortino, the church of San Francesco and the Oratory of Villa Pedrazzi together attest to the significant spread of the cult of Saint Francis in the rural surroundings during the 13th century.

Palaces, towers and villas

Palazzo Garagnani lies in the heart of Crespellano. It houses most of the Centro Culturale Luigi Calanca, including the Biblioteca di Crespellano. The Palazzo’s tower belonged to the former castle of Crespellano. The former fortress of Torre Cattanei is also part of the town’s architectural history; today it is known as Palazzo Stagni.

Villa Aldrovandi, now Rinaldi Ceroni, lies north of Crespellano. The 17th-century building is decorated with friezes and heraldic motifs and has a lush park. The villa is part of a broader story: from the 17th century onward, country estates belonging to prominent senatorial families from Bologna were built in the Crespellano area. Villas continue to shape the landscape around the town and define its cultural landscape.

Roman traces in the town and landscape

The Via Claudiola, now called the Bazzanese, is considered a consular road and is linked to the ancient development of the Crespellano area. The Via Emilia is also associated with this development. The archaeological evidence near Pragatto goes further back: artefacts and tools from the Middle Palaeolithic, or Mousterian, were found at the foot of the hill. In 1874, Giovanni Gozzadini discovered a cremation necropolis near Pragatto; in 1879, the archaeologist Zannoni identified a Terramare settlement site there.

Traces of Roman centuriation are still visible between Crespellano and Calcara. They appear as 700 × 700 metre plots of land bounded by roads and ditches. While churches and villas locate history in individual buildings, the centuriation reveals the organisation of the cultural landscape on a larger scale.

Discover more destinations: Sasso Marconi, Fontanelice, Bologna, Gaggio Montano, Castel San Pietro Terme, Portonovo, San Lazzaro Di Savena, Borgo Tossignano

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