This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)
Comune di Lugo
Looking at it from above, the town plant of Lugo faithfully follows the outline of an airplane. A fortuitous event, but also very appropriate considering that this city was the birthplace of the oldest and most famous Italian air hero: Francesco Baracca
Seen from the air Lugo looks like an aircraft. This might be fortuitous, but it’s also extremely appropriate given that Francesco Baracca, the earliest and most important hero of Italian aviation, was born here. The roads and the squares of Lugo’s historic town centre are beautifully atmospheric; here the visitor will encounter buildings dating from the 16th century till the 1930s.
The hospitality that characterises this part of Romagna seems to stem from ancient times; remarkable archaeological finds from the Neolithic era were discovered in Lugo and they indicate that in the 5th millennium B.C. there was a village belonging to the “Sasso-Fiorano” culture. The ongoing excavations continue to unearth numerous traces of Roman settlements.
The first historical document mentioning the town however dates back to A.D. 782; the correspondence between Pope Adrian I and Charlemagne contains a reference to an estate called “fondo Cento”, which is where Via Cento lies today.
The name “Villa Lugi” appeared for the first time in a document in 1224; this is the origin of the place name Lugo. The forerunner of the current municipal coat of arms dates back to 1204, when it first appeared on top of the town’s fortress.
Back then, Lugo had been ruled by Frederick I Barbarossa and by the Counts of Cunio; later it was the property of Pope Innocent III and of the Archbishop Alberto of Ravenna. The town’s coat of arms features a red shield with the silver cross of the Church of Ravenna; in the top left corner there is a flying dove with an olive twig in its mouth. During the 14th and the 15th century the ownership of Lugo was disputed between the Church and various seigniories, including the Da Polenta from Ravenna, the Pepoli from Bologna, the Visconti from Milan and the House of Este. The Este ruled the town for more than a century and a half and established it as the capital of their land in Romagna; they restored and widened the fortress and created a long-lasting cultural heritage. When the family died out, Lugo went back to the Church; this was the start of a relatively peaceful period characterised by a flourishing cultural and economic life, in which most of
the town’s present layout was shaped. During the 18th century the powerful town’s merchants created the Pavaglione, an architecture specifically designed to host the established Wednesday market and the biennial fair. In modern times Lugo’s citizens have demonstrated remarkable strength of
character in critical situations.
During Napoleonic invasions, Lugo was the only town in Romagna to fiercely oppose the French army; their resistance culminated in a revolt on the 30th of June 1796. While the town was under French rule, Lugo’s illustrious citizen Giuseppe Compagnoni suggested the adoption of the
tricolour banner as the Italian flag at the Parliament of the Cispadane Republic on January the 7th 1797.
In 1859 Lugo’s citizens voted in favour of the annexation of the town to the Kingdom of Sardinia, which subsequently became the Kingdom of Italy. During World War I the town became famous as the birthplace of the celebrated aviation hero Francesco Baracca. After World War II Lugo’s citizens were presented with the award for “Valor Militare per la Guerra di Liberazione” for their remarkable endurance and their partisan activities; the town was awarded a bronze medal for “Valor Militare”. In line with its history and its calling, the town is still a strong economic centre in the region, especially with regards to the commercialisation of Bassa Romagna’s
agricultural produce.
The European Council recently awarded Lugo the “Bandiera d’Onore”, a distinction presented to municipalities which have distinguished themselves by their active support for the European Union; the award confirms the long established tradition of cooperation which characterises the community.
Lugo must have been quite important in the middle ages because several writers mentioned the town in their books, such as Ludovico Ariosto (in the third canto of the Orlando Furioso), Niccolò Macchiavelli (Istorie Fiorentine) and Franco Sacchetti (Il Trecentonovelle). The town has always been renown as a place of commerce and trade, in particular it is famous for its market which is at least six centuries old; with more than six hundred sellers it is one of the biggest markets in Italy. Even the word “bancarotta” (bankrupt) seems to have local origins; merchants who were unable to pay debts to a bank would have their market stall (banco) destroyed as a punishment. It is quite interesting that one of the most famous victims of bankruptcy was originally from Lugo; Charles Ponzi, who became a naturalised American, is the creator of the homonymous fraud scheme which is still used for financial scams. Gianni Golfera is a local young man who is considered to have one of the most amazing mnemonic capacities in the world today; he is also the author
of a method for improving the power of memory. Local great minds include heroes such as Agostino Codazzi, who is buried in the National Pantheon of Venezuela in Caracas for his actions during Simón Bolivar’s revolution, and Giuseppe Compagnoni, the creator of the tricolour banner which is the
predecessor of the Italian flag. The logo of one of the most famous Italian brands, Ferrari, comes from the coat of arms of the Lugo-born hero of the aviation Francesco Baracca.
THING TO SEE
PIAZZA DEI MARTIRI
This square is really the heart of the historic town centre. Some of the most
important buildings and monuments of Lugo overlook piazza dei Martiri,
which is also connected to other squares: piazza Baracca, piazzale Cavour, piazza Trisi.
Rocca Estense
Piazza Martiri della Libertà – Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 – 19:00; Saturday, 08:00 – 13:00 – Tel. +39 0545 38414
The magnificence and the architectural stateliness of the fortress are clearly evident; visitors will appreciate the sense of respect and fear that numerous conquerors must have felt over the centuries as they tried to attack it.
This is clearly the centre of the town and it has been so for centuries; Lugo’s landmark is a beautiful example of fortified architecture and it hosts the town hall. It was erected in the late part of the Middle Ages, almost certainly above the structure of a previous fortress. During the rule of the House of Este the fortress was extensively modified and, despite numerous subsequent additions and changes, the current building corresponds to the Este design, with the imposing north-western tower, the so called “donjon of Uguccione della Faggiola”. Worth of mention is the recently discovered
“Salone Estense”, a large hall located in the northern part of the building and an exemplar of Italian Renaissance architecture; built by the Este between 1437 and 1598, it features a precious wooden ceiling decorated with the coat of arms of the family and with symbols celebrating the exploits
of Borso d’Este.
Later additions include the fascinating hanging garden, which was created at the beginning of the 19th century; the access to the garden is from the inner courtyard of the fortress and it’s definitely worth a visit. The portico on the eastern side was also erected in the early 19th century.
Monumento a Francesco Baracca
Piazza Baracca
The glorious monument to Francesco Baracca, the champion of Italian aviation during World War I, lies near the fortress. The artwork was commissioned right after the death of the hero by a committee headed by the Duke of Aosta; the chosen artist was the eminent sculptor Domenico Rambelli from Faenza. A night visit, when the square is quiet, will reveal the
subtle interplay between the three sections of the monument: the statue of Baracca, the plinth and the large aircraft wing; this is made possible by skilful lighting. The monument took more than three years to design and
almost six to complete; the artwork was inaugurated on the 21st of June 1936. The bronze statue of the aviator is six metres tall and rests on a plinth covered in travertine marble of Tivoli; the plinth is engraved with the dates and the names of the places in which the aviator won his battles.
The immense wing is also made of travertine and bears the symbols of the two armed forces that he belonged to, the cavalry and the air force: the prancing horse with the motto “Ad Majora” and the hippogriff. Many critics consider this monument one of the greatest achievements of XX century Italian sculpture, because of its expressive and symbolic vigour.
Chiesa del Pio Suffragio
Via della Libertà, 1
The church is near piazza Baracca and has an elegant façade; it was built around 1620 on the ruins of the old oratory of San Giuseppe. The interior has three naves and is characterised by a rich baroque decoration, with stucco and with chiaroscuro drawings made by the local artist Cesare Ruina when the church was repaired in 1874 – 76.
The church houses four precious oval artworks, which depict the evangelists, painted by Ignazio Stern (1680 – 1748); Stern is also the author of the canvases representing The Death of Saint Anne and The Death of Saint Joseph. The Madonna of the snow with the Saints Joseph and Michael and with praying souls is a painting by Benedetto Dal Buono. Worth of mention
are also the Saint Joseph made in the sculpture workshop of Graziani in Faenza in 1874 and the statute of the Immaculate Virgin made by Bartolomeo Schedoni, a sculptor from Modena, in 1614.
Teatro Rossini
Piazzale Cavour, 17 – Visits by appointment or during exhibitions and events – Tel. +39 0545 38540 – www.teatrorossini.it
This is one of the most interesting traditional Italian theatres in the Emilia-Romagna region; it is partly similar to the municipal theatre of Bologna and they were both designed by Bibiena. It lies on the west side of Pavaglione, an area traditionally devoted to theatre events in Lugo since the middle of the 17th century.
The core structure of the building was designed by Ambrogio Petrocchi and built in 1758 – 1760; the design of the inside of the theatre was created by Antonio Galli Bibiena from 1760 onwards. In 1859 the venue was named after Gioacchino Rossini; today the building still holds its original 18th
century architectural features, characterised by the sober façade with pilasters. The theatre has four tiers of galleries with seats and an upper gallery; the stage is as big as the area occupied by seats in the stalls. Teatro Rossini was recently restored; the works uncovered beautiful 18th century stuccos and interesting frescos created by Leandro Marconi in 1819 in the galleries, when he modified the interior of the theatre and added the upper gallery.
The frescos feature floral decorations and neoclassical elements painted in bright colours on a gray and blue background. Over the centuries, this building hasn’t just been a venue for entertainment; it has also been the place where the most important social life and community events took place. Until the early 19th century the theatre hosted operas, comedies, plays, as well as parties. Highlights of the theatre’s history are the performance of Nicolò Paganini in 1813 and the so-called “age of Rossini”, from 1814 to 1840, when the theatre frequently presented work by the celebrated composer, whose relationship with Lugo is well know. In 1984 -1986 the theatre was restored and its programme of events was relaunched with an exciting programme that includes plays, symphony concerts, chamber music and operas; since then Teatro Rossini has played a relevant role in the town’s cultural life and is one of the most important theatres in Emilia-Romagna.
Palazzo Trisi
Piazza Trisi, 19 – Biblioteca Comunale Trisi: Tel. +39 0545 38556 / 400 / 568; e-mail trisi@comune.lugo.ra.it – www.bibliotecatrisi.it
Palazzo Trisi lies next to the theatre; it houses the municipal culture offices and the municipal library, which has the same name of the building.
The late 18th century palace was designed by the architect Cosimo Morelli; it houses more than 200,000 volumes, precious manuscripts, incunabula, early printed books, prints, drawings, photographs and antique postcards.
This is one of the most important libraries of Bassa Romagna and has a relevant programme of cultural events and educational activities.
Ex Oratorio di S. Onofrio
Piazza Trisi
This is a former oratory, which was built in 1679 with a magnificent baroque architecture. The building is not a worship place, but has become a venue for exhibitions and cultural events. It houses remarkable canvases, stuccos and frescos by a number of artists, including Tommaso Missiroli, known as “il Villano”, and Ignazio Stern; most of the works of art depict scenes from the life of Saint Onofrio. The cenotaph of Clemente Galanotti (the person that commissioned the oratory) is located just above the main door.
CHIESA DEL CARMINE
Via Baracca, 1
This baroque church is near Palazzo Trisi and Piazza Baracca; it was built in the middle of the 18th century on the site of a church which pre-dates 1264, because this date appears on a bell which is kept in the bell tower. The church has one nave and barrel vaults which are reinforced by large arches;
Benedetto Dal Buono is the author of the frescos, of the four stuccos depicting the allegories of Faith, Hope, Charity and Humility and of the main altarpiece which features the town’s patron saint, Saint Ilaro. The painting of the Virgin is by Guidaccio da Imola and dates back to 1481; the 16th century
Annunciation was painted by an unknown artist. The beautiful wooden choir was made in 1760 – 61 by the local craftsman Giovan Battista Spada. The pipe organ is also remarkable; it was installed in the church in 1797 by the Venetian maker Gaetano Callido and the young Gioacchino Rossini loved to
play it. More recently the church has hosted performances by celebrated European musicians such Gustav Leonhardt.
CHIESA DELLA COLLEGIATA DEI SANTI FRANCESCO E ILARO
Piazza Savonarola, 1
Leaving the heart of town centre, visitors will find this church off the main street Via Baracca and beyond Via Codazzi; the church overlooks a small square and features a nice neoclassical portico which was designed by the architect Cosimo Morelli. The original church was gothic and was rebuilt after the 1688 earthquake. It has four chapels on each side and several 18th century works of art by local painters; the main altar is by Luigi Morelli and it houses the painting depicting St. Francis by Benedetto Del Buono. The 18th
century organ is from Venice and was made in the workshop of Giovanni Ghinei.
CHIESA DI S. FRANCESCO DI PAOLA
Via Fermini, 37
This neo-gothic church is about 400 mt from Piazza Baracca; it was built in 1890 on the ruins of a 14th century church. The bell tower is in the same style of that of Santa Croce in Florence. It’s worth visiting this church especially for the 16th century painted terracotta sculpture Mourning over the Dead Christ, created by an anonymous Ferrarese artist.
VILLA MALERBI
Via Emaldi, 51
The early 19th century villa is located about 600 mt from Piazza Baracca, but used to be the rural residence of the family of the brothers Malerbi Giuseppe (1771 – 1849) and Luigi (1776 – 1843); they were musicians who ran a music school which was one of the most important in the region and Gioacchino Rossini was one of the their pupils. Today the building houses the municipal music school (“Scuola Comunale di Musica”).
The neoclassical villa has a very characteristic façade with doric columns and a pediment.
MUSEO PERMANENTEDELLA MODA
Corso Garibaldi, 59 – Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 10:30 –
19:30, Monday, 15.00 – 19.30; closed: Sunday and Monday morning;
open all day on the second Sunday of the month, 10.30 – 19.30 – Free
admission – Tel. +39 0545 35200 – www.angelo.it
The museum is housed on one floor of the vintage clothing shop A.N.G.E.L.O Vintage Palace; it is a unique permanent collection dedicated to the fashion of the 20th century and the clothes on display can be rented.
The collection holds more than 50,000 items which have been carefully selected; they include everyday garments, military uniforms, sport gear and evening dresses created for haute couture as well as for prêt-a-porter over the course of various decades.
The collection is also a precious resource for fashion designers, musicians, filmmakers and journalists. A.N.G.E.L.O Vintage Palace often hosts temporary exhibitions alongside its permanent collection.
MUSEO BARACCA
Via Baracca, 65 – O pening hours: 10:00 – 12:00 and 16:00 – 18:00; closed:
01/01, 15/05, 2nd and 3rd week of August, from 25/12 to 31/12 Admission: € 1; concessions € 0.50 – Tel. +39 0545 24821 / 38561
e-mail museobaracca@comune.lugo.ra.it – www.museobaracca.it
A trip to Lugo should definitely include a visit to the museum dedicated to the town’s most famous hero. It is located in the neoclassical palace in which Baracca was born; his father Enrico donated it to the municipality.
The museum houses a collection of personal objects and belonging s of Francesco Baracca , which include the aircraft Spad VII (1917) used by the aviator to achieve one of his thirty-four victories. The aircraft bears the coat of arms of the pilot, the prancing horse (“Cavallino Rampante”), which is known all over the world as the symbol of Enzo Ferrari’s cars. The museum works together with the association of the friends of the museum (“Associazione Amici del Museo Francesco Baracca”), whose purpose is to do historical research and promote the collection.
CASA ROSSINI
Via Giacomo Rocca, 14 – Visits by appointment and during exhibitions Tel. +39 0545 38556 / 38561
The old house of the Rossini family is off the main road via Mazzini, few steps away from the heart of the town centre. The house once belonged to the grandfather of the composer Gioacchino, who inherited it in 1839.
The building was recently restored thanks to the local Lions Club and is used as an art exhibition venue; the façade bears a memorial plaque with a Latin epigraph which celebrates the musician.
CIMITERO EBRAICO
Via di Giù
The Jewish cemetery can be found just outside the town centre and is the heritage of the centuries’ long presence of this community in Lugo, from the 16th till the 20th century. 19th century tombs have inscriptions carved in two languages, while the older ones are only written in Hebrew; some bear
images of coat of arms and long epigraphs, sometimes in the form of poems.
PAVAGLIONE
Piazza Trisi
Pavaglione is a unique building and practically a shopping centre ahead of its time; the imposing four-sided portico was designed by the Ferrarese Giuseppe Campana and completed in 1783 on the structure of a 16th century portico. It was created to host the flourishing market of silk worms, which was really thriving in Lugo in those days. According to some researches,
the name of the building could derive from the Latin papilio or from the French papillon. Today Pavaglione still houses shops, workshops and fairs and the Wednesday market which is six centuries old. Traditionally, the building is also a venue for shows and entertainment; according to some documents, music operas were performed here in the late 17th century.
IN THE AREA
ORATORIO DI CROCE COPERTA
Via Provinciale Cotignola –
The oratory is just outside the town centre, beyond the railway underpass on Via Provinciale. Its large cycle of frescos dedicated to various popular saints makes it really unique in the region. It was painted between the first half of the 15th century and the early 16th century; in the 19th century the local painter Bertazzoni also added some decorations. The frescos present characteristics which are typical of late gothic style and of different areas of north Italy.
CHIESA DI ASCENSIONE
Via Fiumazzo, 115 (Ascensione)
The church was built in 1534 and its frescos make it well worth a visit in the village of Ascensione; unfortunately the only complete frescos are those in the apse, but visitors will certainly admire the Ascension of Our Lord (in the front), the Resurrection (on the right), the Pentecost (on the left) and the
Evangelists and their symbols (in the vault).
ANTICA PIEVE – CHIESA DI CAMPANILE
Via Santa Maria in Fabriago (Santa Maria in Fabriago)
This ancient church was once a Romanesque parish church and is located in the village of Santa Maria in Fabriago, which can be easily found thanks to the helpful road signs. The church stands out thanks to its characteristic cylindrical bell tower with lancet windows that are typical of the Byzantine style of Ravenna (9th century). The current church was erected in the 16th
century on the ruins of two older ones; the interior has one nave and the apse is polygonal.
MAIN EVENTS
Dates are subject to change. For information please visit the
website www.romagnadeste.it
ALL YEAR LONG – Caffè Letterario – Meetings with writers – www.caffeletterariolugo.blogspot.com
3rd after Easter – Sagra di San Francesco Celebration of San Francesco di Paola, the town’s Patron Saint
MAY / JUNE – Lugo Opera Festival – Tel. +39 0545 38542 www.teatrorossini.it
2nd and 3rd of May- Contesa Estense and Palio della Caveja – Festa di Sant’Ilaro, (Lugo’s Patron Saint), with fire works (May 15) – Tel. +39 0545 25248 – www.contesaestense.it
MAY / JUNE – Lugolosa – Gourmet event – Tel. +39 0545 38455
JULY – Lugo Musica Estate – Music event www.teatrorossini.it
JULY – Lugocontemporanea – Art event www.lugocontemporanea.it
1st SUNDAY OF SEPTEMBER – Giro della Romagna Professional cyclists’ competition – Tel. +39 0545 32997
LAST OF SEPTEMBER AND 1st OF OCTOBER Rombi di Passione – Cars and motorcycles meeting www.rombidipassione.it
OCTOBER 31 – La Notte di Halloween / La Piligrèna
Traditional celebration with bonfire – Tel. +39 340 7270094
3rd SUNDAY OF NOVEMBER – Festa del Cavallino Rampante – Celebration of the symbol of Francesco Baracca and of Ferrari – Tel. +39 0545 38455
DECEMBER 31 – San Silvestro in Piazza – End of year celebration
Tourist Information Centre
Largo Relencini, 1 – Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 – 13:30; Tuesday and Thursday also 15:00 – 18:00; Saturday, 08:00 – 13:00; in Summer, Monday to Friday, 07:45 – 13:30; Saturday, 07:45 – 13:00
Tel. +39 0545 38444 / 38455; fax: +39 0545 38371
e-mail urp@comune.lugo.ra.it
www.comune.lugo.ra.it
www.romagnadeste.it