Discover Ravarino

In Ravarino, architectural history, sacred art, and the balsamic vinegar tradition come together as distinct themes. If you’re looking for a hotel for a stay in Ravarino, you can first consider whether you’re more interested in architecture, religious art, or the history of local food products. The town’s historic landmarks give each of these interests its own character.

Palaces, a courtyard complex, and a villa

Palazzo di Donna Clarina is a typical enclosed courtyard complex with a manor house and a small tower dating from the 16th century. In 1700, the building was inherited by Donna Clarina Rangoni, after having long been known as “Palazzo del Vescovo.” Its architectural design and the history of its name sit alongside the account of its inheritance. Palazzo Rangoni, by contrast, is already mentioned in documents from 1326. From the 16th to the 18th century, it regularly served as a summer residence for the Este dukes and the high nobility. The two palaces thus mark different aspects of the town’s history: the courtyard complex and inheritance at Donna Clarina, and the early mention and later use as a summer residence at Palazzo Rangoni.

Villa Castelcrescente adds a different style and a later construction period to this architectural history. The building is in the Art Nouveau style and stands in a centuries-old park. The Marchese Aldobrandino Rangoni had the villa built between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The architectural histories described here therefore span from a mention in 1326 to a building from around the turn of the 20th century.

Paintings and sacred buildings

The painting “Quadro di S. Rocco e S. Sebastiano” is housed in Ravarino Town Hall. It was originally the altarpiece of the Oratorio di San Rocco, built in 1631 as an ex voto marking the end of the plague. In the background, the painting shows the center of Ravarino in the first decades of the 17th century: visible are walls, towers, and the old Palazzo Rangoni. The painting thus combines its original function as an altarpiece with a depiction of the town center at the time.

The present-day Santuario della Beata Vergine delle Grazie dates from the mid-18th century. It houses 17th-century paintings, including works by Giuseppe Maria Crespi and Simone Cantarini. The Chiesolino della Cavazzona was built in 1722. Together, these buildings and works of art illustrate different chapters in Ravarino’s religious history, from a chapel dating to the early 18th century to a sanctuary built later that houses older paintings.

Balsamic vinegar and local produce

The Acetaia Comunale houses four barrel batteries: Two have five barrels each, and two others have six each. There is also a mother barrel and a small juniper-wood barrel. The Acetaia also has a collection of tools used to process and produce balsamic vinegar. The barrels and tools thus reflect different aspects of the local production tradition.

The written record is also part of this history. An original manuscript dated March 2, 1862, is kept in Ravarino. In it, Francesco Aggazzotti describes the process of making balsamic vinegar in detail. It is regarded as the “original recipe” for Aceto Balsamico di Modena. The countryside around Ravarino extends to the right bank of the Panaro River. Peaches, plums, strawberries, apples, Emilia-Romagna pears with PGI status, and grapes are grown in the surrounding area.

Practical information

The hamlet of Stuffione is three kilometers from the “Bolognina” exit. Check road conditions and signage separately before setting out. Biblioteca Comunale Sibilla Aleramo is accessible during opening hours and has no architectural barriers. Check the opening hours before your visit.

Discover more destinations: Sestola, Campogalliano, Pozza, Montecreto, Soliera, Serramazzoni, Torre Maina, Ca Di Sola.

For the main travel guide: Modena.