Rocca San Casciano: History, Culture and Trails

Rocca San Casciano offers several distinct highlights for a stay: historic buildings, local culture and a network of trails around the town. If you are looking for a hotel, you can plan your trip around whether you are mainly interested in architectural history, an exhibition, hiking or an event date.

Church of Santa Maria delle Lacrime

The Church of Santa Maria delle Lacrime was built between 1776 and 1784 at the instigation of the parish priest at the time, Ambrogio Tassinari. It replaced the old parish church, which had been destroyed by the 1661 earthquake. The church also houses a 16th-century ceramic panel depicting the Madonna delle Lacrime with the Child. This brings together different historical periods: the building history of the late 18th century and an older ceramic artwork. The church thus combines a specific historical context with a distinctive art-historical detail.

Il Castellaccio and Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi

The Il Castellaccio fortification was built around the year 1000. The surviving remains include a 15-metre-high tower, an old watchtower and large sections of the fortification wall, which were recently uncovered. The tower, watchtower and stretches of wall give an impression of the different structural components of the complex. In contrast to the church, the focus here is on the early history of a fortification and its surviving structures.

The arcades of Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi also have a history of use. In the past, they served to accommodate large crowds during weekly markets and annual fairs. This adds the former communal and market-related use of a square to the picture of its buildings. The arcades’ history includes this aspect of their past: their function at markets and fairs is described as it was in earlier times.

Exhibition and Library

The permanent exhibition on rural and hunting traditions is located in the centre of Rocca San Casciano and covers more than 200 square metres. It is divided into six sections, with a seventh room set aside for educational activities. Its size, layout and additional room offer different perspectives on this cultural attraction: the scale of the exhibition, its thematic structure and the special purpose of the seventh room.

The Biblioteca Francescana currently holds approximately 3,000 volumes. It offers a different cultural point of interest from the thematically organised permanent exhibition. If you are interested in local culture, the exhibition on rural and hunting traditions and a library with a collection of around 3,000 volumes offer distinct themes for your stay.

Trail Network and Festa del Falò

The Percorsi della Margherita is a network of trails around 50 kilometres long, surrounding Rocca San Casciano. For travellers who want to focus on hiking, this network is a distinct highlight alongside the town’s historic buildings and cultural attractions. The approximate length refers to the trail network as a whole; it does not describe the duration or difficulty of any individual route.

During the Festa del Falò, huge bonfires are lit along the banks of the Montone River, and there is also a fireworks display. The festival offers a different kind of attraction from the permanent buildings and exhibition venues. If you would like to combine your trip with the Festa del Falò, check the event date in advance.

These highlights appeal to different interests in the town without requiring the same kind of stay.

Discover more destinations: Villamarina, Quarto, Cento, Forlì, Ronco, Forlimpopoli, Premilcuore, Tredozio

For the regional travel overview: Forlì-Cesena.