Municipality of Bagnara

Rocca Sforzesca

The present fortress arose in the 15th century on the ruins of the previous one. Its reconstruction took several decades and is perhaps due to the lords who then succeeded in ruling Bagnara: the Bishop of Imola, the Manfredi, the Colleoni, Girolamo Riario, and Caterina Sforza. The last additions were the keep, located to the west and dating back to 1479, and the elegant loggias attributed to Caterina herself. After the short-lived conquest of Cesare Borgia known as “the Valentine” around the year 1500, several decades of instability followed in Bagnara until the locality returned to the Holy See. The fortress became the residence of the commissioner bishop of Imola, so it was converted to this new function with the brick roofing of the two towers and the arrangement of the other rooms for civilian use. In the seventeenth century the drawbridge, which directly connected the fortress with the outside, was also suppressed, and of which the hooks and chute are still visible. After the unification of Italy it was purchased by the municipality and used for various purposes. In addition to the keep, of which the top, casemates, and basement can be visited, the other tower, located to the east, is also worth a look, reminiscent of the ancient Visconti construction, a true gem. You can also see the former gun ports and defensive systems, Catherine’s elegant loggia, the newly restored courtyard, and the reception hall. Hanging on its walls are eight valuable paintings, works from the 17th and 18th centuries, bequests from a gentleman from Bologna. Today it houses inside it the Castle Museum, where one can follow paths that tell the story of the area and its lifestyles since the Bronze Age, as well as memories and tales of the personalities of the Lords of the Fortress, thanks in part to valuable archaeological finds.