Discover Savignano Sul Rubicone

There are two distinct ways to explore the local history during a stay in Savignano Sul Rubicone: a bridge and archaeological evidence from Compito. The Ponte Consolare Romano connects the two banks of the Rubicone. The museum, burial finds and excavations offer a glimpse into various historical subjects. You can choose your cultural focus based on whether you are more interested in a single landmark or in archaeological finds.

Ponte Consolare Romano: a landmark on the Rubicone

The three-arched Ponte Consolare Romano connects the two banks of the Rubicone. It is both the oldest monument and the landmark of the town of Savignano sul Rubicone. These two descriptions highlight different aspects: “oldest monument” emphasizes its status among the town’s monuments, while “landmark” reflects its importance as a symbol of the town. This brings attention to a specific structure and its three arches. The connection between the banks also establishes a link with the Rubicone. If you like to begin exploring a place’s history with a single monument, this offers a clear starting point alongside the archaeological sites and their distinct finds.

The museum and its collection

The Museo Archeologico del Compito “Don Giorgio Franchini” grew out of a collection of materials that Don Giorgio Franchini found in the fields or that came to light there. The collection’s origins are therefore part of the museum’s history: it began with tangible materials from the fields. In 1998, the museum was reopened by the municipal administration of Savignano sul Rubicone. The collection and the reopening mark two distinct stages: the collection is the museum’s origin, while the year 1998 refers to its reopening. If you are interested in how a collection came about as well as its later history, the museum offers a dedicated way to explore these subjects.

A princely burial in Compito

One specific archaeological find at the Compito site is a princely burial dating from the 7th to 6th century BC. It includes weapons and a wagon. The dating, classification of the grave and grave goods each provide a distinct dimension: the time span places it in its historical context, the term “princely burial” describes its character, and the weapons and wagon specify the grave goods. This is a particular grave with a stated date and contents, not simply a general reference to the archaeological past. Unlike the history of a museum collection, the focus here is on a single burial find.

The Pieve and a Roman building complex

At the Pieve di San Giovanni in Compito, the focus is on the relationship between a named building and an archaeological site. The church stands at the same location as a Roman public building complex. This complex may have been a place of worship; its religious function should therefore be understood as a possibility, not a certainty. The site’s location and the cautious interpretation of its function shape this approach to history. This distinguishes it both from the princely burial and its specific grave goods, and from the bridge, whose significance as a town landmark is described.

Finds at the Basilica di San Pietro

The Basilica di San Pietro adds two types of archaeological evidence to the picture: excavations in 2018 revealed two building phases and a cemetery with more than 400 burials. The building phases relate to a sequence of construction, while the number refers to the burials in the cemetery. Here, evidence of a building and a burial site sit side by side. Compared with the single princely burial at Compito, this represents a different scale of archaeological evidence: several building phases and a large number of burials rather than a single grave. This lets you choose between different subjects without combining them into one story.

Discover more destinations: Alfero, Meldola, Campigna, Roncofreddo, Predappio Alta, Mercato Saraceno, Predappio, San Mauro Pascoli.

See the regional travel overview: Forlì-Cesena.