Ponticelli: Badlands, Art and Roman History

Ponticelli combines a striking badland landscape with art, church history, stories of Roman finds and a long-standing food culture. When choosing a hotel, these highlights are easy to distinguish: the Geosite at the rio Ponticelli represents the geological side, Casa Sartelli Germano Sartelli’s material art, while the Chiesa di San Savino Vescovo and the archaeological finds explore different historical themes. The Sagra dei Maccheroni adds a food tradition to this picture. This lets you tailor your stay to the themes that interest you most, rather than reducing Ponticelli to a single highlight.

Badlands at the rio Ponticelli

The “Calanchi versante sinistro del rio Ponticelli” Geosite features extensive badland basins on the left slope of the rio Ponticelli, formed in Pliocene clays. Location and formation go hand in hand here: the basins lie on a specific side of the slope and were formed in geologically ancient clays. This gives the landscape theme a concrete point of reference and sets it apart from the art and history themes that follow. If you enjoy putting geological features into context when choosing a destination, this Geosite offers a clearly defined starting point.

Casa Sartelli and Germano Sartelli’s art

From 1970, Casa Sartelli served Germano Sartelli as a studio where he designed and created his material artworks. It houses sculptures from the “Foreste” series as well as metal installations in the surrounding grove. A narrow path through the badlands of the Santerno Valley leads to Casa Sartelli. Both its use as a studio and the works it houses are important to understanding its artistic significance: the year marks the beginning of its use as a studio, while “Foreste” and the metal installations identify specific works and forms. This gives Ponticelli’s cultural appeal a distinctive aspect alongside its church and archaeology.

Church history since the 12th century

The Chiesa di San Savino Vescovo in Ponticelli is documented from the 12th century. As a pieve, it was equipped with a baptismal font and already served as a parish church at that time. Its historical significance therefore involves more than an early date: the terms pieve, baptismal font and parish functions describe different aspects of its ecclesiastical role at the time. This gives local history its own distinct thread, separate from the stories of Roman finds.

Stories of Roman finds

The Leone di Ponticelli was found near the weir on the Fiume Santerno. It probably belonged to a monumental tomb beside a large domus. Another find is a head of Dionysus and the drunken Bacchus, discovered in 1933 at Podere Tombazza in Ponticelli. This head also probably belonged to a domus of great significance and high architectural and decorative quality.

Both interpretations are described as probable. In comparison, the Leone is primarily associated with a presumed connection to a tomb, while the head is thought to have belonged to an important domus. The find stories also differ in their location and date details: the Leone is said to have been found near the weir on the Fiume Santerno, while the head is associated with the year 1933 and Podere Tombazza. Together, the archaeological finds from Ponticelli take us back to Roman history.

Sagra dei Maccheroni

The Sagra dei Maccheroni has been held in Ponticelli since the early years of the 20th century. At the festival, maccheroni al ragù are prepared and served. The dish itself is therefore a tangible part of the festival tradition. The event’s long history and the named dish give local food culture a place of its own alongside the landscape, art and church history. The exact programme may vary from one edition to another. If you want to plan your trip around the Sagra, it’s best to check the event dates.

Discover more destinations: Suviana, San Benedetto Val Di Sambro, Tolè, Bentivoglio, Budrio, Madonna dei Fornelli, Rastignano-Carteria Di Sesto, Molinella

For the broader travel overview: Bologna.