Castiglione dei Pepoli

The territory around Castiglione dei Pepoli is rich in chestnut and fir forests.

This area is characterized by a typical mountain landscape, whose peaks are all approximately 1,000 meters above the sea level.

In the center of Castiglione dei Pepoli stands the ancient Palazzo Pepoli, built in the late 15th century and later enlarged between the 16th and 18th centuries. Today it houses the offices of the municipal administration. On the wall of the tower, near the main arch, you can admire a plaque commemorating the first Tree Festival in Italy, which took place in 1899. On the other side of the square stands the striking Public Clock Tower, built in 1724. For art lovers, the 17th-century Church of the Madonna della Consolazione, which is the most ancient religious place in Castiglione dei Pepoli, with important works by the Scuola Bolognese’s painters, and the Church of San Lorenzo, the patron saint of Castiglione dei Pepoli, built in about 1576 as the oratory of the Compagnia della Misericordia, are also worth mentioning. Inside this church, in the very back, you will find a fresco showing San Lorenzo in ecstasy facing the Virgin on the clouds, a work by Giacomo Cavedoni, a painter from Bologna.

Castiglione dei Pepoli also preserves important historical memories. Examples include the South African War Cemetery, which houses the largest number of South African World War II soldiers who died in Italy, and the "Paolo Guidotti" Culture Center, which offers exhibition spaces dedicated to local history and the nature of the area. Of particular interest is the room dedicated to the Gothic Line and the events of World War II. This room provides an in-depth look at the history and events of the war period, helping to preserve historical memory and educate future generations about the consequences of the war.

The sanctuary of the Madonna di Boccadirio is a place of great religious importance located in Baragazza. Its history is linked to a legend according to which, in 1480, two young shepherds had an apparition of the Virgin Mary, who asked them to build a shrine in her honor in that forest. This shrine has become one of the most renowned places of worship in the Apennines and is a destination for pilgrims from all regions of Italy. This sanctuary is a stop of the "Via Mater Dei" path. 

Castiglione dei Pepoli is adjacent to the Regional Park of the Suviana and Brasimone Lakes, located in the Bolognese Apennines, which includes two large reservoirs and offers more than 30 kilometers of trails surrounded by unspoiled nature inhabited by numerous local species, including deer and wolves. These trails are ideal for those who want to do a relaxing walk, enjoying the beauty of nature, but also for mountain bikers or experienced hikers. Winter is the ideal season to explore the area: snowshoeing is a fun way to appreciate the magic of the winter mountain landscape.

For trekking lovers, Castiglione dei Pepoli is the last Emilian stop on the Via della Lana e della Seta (from Bologna to Prato), before crossing the Tuscan border.