Municipality of Alfonsine

Today Alfonsine is a flourishing and important modern farming area, thanks to the commitment of many generations of local people who defended and rebuilt their town over the centuries and in recent times. The locals’ commitment to their heritage is shown in their strong and warm character and is also manifested in the widespread interest for culture.

The town’s origins are linked to a family called Calcagnini.
In 1465 Borso d’Este, the Duke of Ferrara, donated land to the Count Teofilo Calcagnini; these territories were located on the right side of the river Po di Primaro and included the towns of Filo and Longastrino. They consisted mainly of woods and marshes and Teofilo started a series of reclamation
works that his son Alfonso continued to carry out; the son called the reclaimed lands “Le Alfonsine”. Alfonsine was on the border between the municipality of Ravenna and the lands of the Este, so the boundaries were disputed for a long time and Alfonsine became a municipality only in
1814. In June 1914 the town appeared in the newspapers’ headlines because of the “Settimana Rossa”, in which the town hall and the local church were burnt down.

During fascism, the locals suffered harsh repression. Toward the end of World War II the town became a key battle front for a very long time, resulting in a devastating 75% destruction of all buildings; the historic town centre disappeared and a new town was built on the left bank of the river Senio.

THINGS TO SEE

MUSEO DELLA BATTAGLIA DEL SENIO
Piazza della Resistenza, 2 – Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 12:00 and 14:00 – 17:00; in April and May also Saturday and Sunday, 09:00 – 12:00 and 15:00 – 18:00; during the rest of the year open on Saturday by appointment (tel. 347 4628668); closed: August, 01/01, 01/05 and the afternoons preceding a public holiday Tel. +39 0544 84302 / 866672; e-mail museodelsenio@racine.ra.it
Museo del Senio is a modern museum documenting the final stages of the attacks on the Gothic Line, culminating with the battle of April the 10th 1945, an important event of World War II. The museum has two main displays: one is about the transit of the Allied troops and the other documents partisan resistance in Romagna. The collection includes a large number of photographs, original maps, military uniforms and equipment, flags and military items that were converted for everyday use after the conflict. In 1997, the Istituto Storico della Resistenza e dell’Età Contemporanea of the Province of Ravenna has joined the museum on site
with its 10,000 plus books collection about resistance and contemporary history.

CHIESA ARCIPRETALE DI SANTA MARIA
Corso della Repubblica, 22 – Tel. +39 0544 81357;
e-mail ufficiocultura@comune.alfonsine.ra.it
The original 19th century church was destroyed by World War II bombing; this reconstruction lies on the site of the “new town”. The interior features remarkable windows in the apse and valuable ceramics made by Gaetano Dalmonte from Faenza. The canvas depicting The Christening of Jesus was
painted by Anacleto Margotti and donated to the church as a reconciliation token by a former U.S. airman who had taken part in the bombing of Alfonsine; it features an early mural paint created by the young Margotti and now destroyed. Jesus facial features closely resemble those of the pilot and hero Francesco Baracca.

RISERVA NATURALE DI ALFONSINE
Casa Monti
Via Passetto, 3 – Opening hours: from September to November and from March to May, Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 13:00, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday also 14:00 – 17:00; from December to February and from June to August, Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 13:00; closed: Saturday, Sunday, from 22/12 to 06/01 and from 09 to 24/08 – Free admission – Tel. +39 0544 869808
The house where the neoclassical poet Vincenzo Monti was born is located about 1 km from the town centre, in an area formerly known as “Ortazzo”.
The house has been recently restored and now houses a museum. From the outside it’s a beautiful 18th century two-storey rural house with several memorial plaques on the façade. Inside there is a large staircase leading upstairs to the Museo Montiano; the museum has three rooms:
“Sala della culla” (with a display of antique furniture), “Sala dei documenti” (with very rare first printed editions) and “Saletta Montiana” (with the precious 18th century marble bust of Monti, several items and manuscripts of the poetand of his daughter Costanza).
The ground floor houses the information centre of Parco del Delta e della Riserva di Alfonsine and its natural history museum.

CASA DELL’AGNESE
Via Destra Senio, 88 – Tel. +39 0544 81208 / +39 338 8002962; e-mail casadeldiavolo@libero.it – www.lacasadeldiavolo.it
From the river Senio walk along the Canale Destra Reno
(make sure it’s on your right) for about 1 km and you will reach Casa dell’Agnese; this is a typical late 19th century rural house with all the original features (bricks and mud walls, flat tiles and thatch in the attic).
In 1975 the director Giuliano Montaldo shot his film L’Agnese va a morire here. The cattle shed has a display of farming tools that were once used in the fields and at home. The wide shaded barnyard also features the old barn and the oven. In summer the house hosts cultural events.

MAIN EVENTS
Dates are subject to change. For information please visit the
website www.romagnadeste.it

FEBRUARY – Carnevale Alfonsinese – Traditional carnival parade with floats and costumes in the streets of the town
APRIL 10 – Official celebration of the anniversary of Liberation in Alfonsine
APRIL 25 – Nel Senio della Memoria – Remembrance day celebrating Battaglia del Senio, Resistance and the Constitution with theatre shows, music, history and tales along the banks of the river, for pedestrians and cyclists Tel. +39 0544 866672 – www.nelseniodellamemoria.it
LAST of MAY – Sagra delle Alfonsine – Traditional feast Tel. +39 0544 866648
JULY and AUGUST – Pensiero, narrazione e voce – Poetry, literature and music in private and public gardens 2nd of OCTOBER – Festa dell’Uva – Wine tastings with the sommeliers from the national association AIS; dance
and folk music, arts and craft, exhibitions and gastronomy Tel. +39 339 8503411
OCTOBER 31 – La Festa di Halloween Tel. +39 0544 866667/673

Tourist Information Centre at Casa Monti
Via Passetto, 3 – Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 13:00, in September, October, November, March, April and May also Tuesday to Thursday, 14:00 – 17:00
Tel. and fax +39 0544 869808
e-mail turismoalfonsine@provincia.ra.it
www.comune.alfonsine.ra.it
www.romagnadeste.it