A hamlet of the municipality of Castiglione dei Pepoli, located at حوالي 400 metres above sea level, near the confluence of the Setta and Brasimone rivers.

The area has been known since ancient times: its name derives from a pre-Latin term meaning “field,” the same root as the German word Lager. Archaeological evidence points to Celtic and Etruscan settlements, followed later by the Romans, and from the 6th–7th centuries the area experienced Lombard invasions.

During the Middle Ages, it was a possession of the Alberti counts of Prato, before passing under the authority of Bologna and later the Papal States. In the 17th century it became an autonomous municipality, until the arrival of the French in 1796. In 1815 it returned to Papal rule as part of the municipality of Castiglione dei Pepoli.

The church, certainly very ancient, has been an independent parish since 7 September 1591. It is dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta, with Saint Mamante as co-patron. The bell tower was built relatively recently, in 1945.

The local population played an important role in the construction of the long trans-Apennine railway tunnel and the Piane hydroelectric power plant.

At 691 metres above sea level, the main town lies at the foot of Monte Gatta and is one of the largest settlements in the mountain area.

Famous for Lake Brasimone and the Sanctuary of Boccadirio, its history is closely linked to that of nearby Tuscany. It was a fief of the Alberti Counts of Prato until 1340, when it was transferred to the noble Pepoli family. The present-day town hall served as their residence until the late 18th century.

The charming historic centre, a focal point of community life, was also developed by the Pepoli family.

The parish church is dedicated to Saint Lawrence the Martyr. It dates back to around 1300, while the bell tower was erected in 1606. In 1934 it was raised from 22 to 40 metres, based on a design by Rivani, with the addition of the current spire, topped by a statue of Christ the Redeemer by Dalmonte of Faenza.

Inside, frescoed in 1930, there are several notable works, including an altarpiece by Cavedoni, a pupil of the Carracci, depicting Saint Lawrence.

This is a small artificial reservoir, created in 1917 with the construction of a dam on the Brasimone stream for the production of electricity. It lies less than 4 km from the centre of Castiglione dei Pepoli.

Its left bank falls within the municipality of Castiglione dei Pepoli, while the right bank belongs to the municipality of Camugnano.

A popular summer destination, especially among sport fishing enthusiasts, it is part of the Brasimone and Suviana Lakes Regional Park, to which it is connected by a network of hiking trails.

Between 28 September and 2 October 1944, the Scots Guards, Grenadier Guards and Coldstream Guards fought German forces to capture the strategic positions of Monte Catarelto and Cresta Bucciagni.

The fighting was extremely intense, leaving many dead and wounded on both sides. In the end, the Allied forces prevailed, but the impact of the battle was so profound for the Scots Guards that a march in 6/8 time, played on bagpipes, was dedicated to Monte Catarelto.

To ensure that the memory of these events is not lost, on 5 October 2019 a statue of Our Lady of Reconciliation was inaugurated, commemorating the ultimate sacrifice of all soldiers on both sides—young men barely in their twenties who lost their lives at Monte Catarelto—as well as the suffering of local civilians.

A place of outstanding panoramic beauty, it is equally powerful and evocative for the history that unfolded here.

Following trail CAI 021, you reach the oldest hamlet, Serrucce, which was already home to nine families in 1792. It has preserved the character of a medieval village, with its vaulted arches and narrow stone-paved streets.

Here were the workshops, the tavern, and tailoring and carpentry studios. Inside one of the houses is a stone portal carved with a trilobed cross, while another features a large column—elements that testify to the village’s ancient origins.

Its charm is undeniable and leaves a lasting impression on all visitors.

Just a short walk from the San Benedetto Val di Sambro railway station on the Bologna–Florence Direttissima line, the Ripoli Sanctuary rises majestically. Perched on the promontory overlooking the Setta Valley, it is one of the oldest places of worship in the Bolognese Apennines. Its history began around the year 1000, when the Virgin appeared to two shepherd children, asking them to build a church on the site of the miraculous event.

Inside the sanctuary are two icons of great symbolic and historical value: a polychrome terracotta statue of the Madonna and Child from 1603, and a painting of the Madonna of the Rosary, long considered the original image, which was carried in procession in 1855 to combat a tragic cholera epidemic that swept across the Bolognese territory. From that time on, devotion to the Virgin grew steadily, and the sanctuary became the spiritual centre for the entire Setta Valley. Pilgrimages multiplied, prompting the faithful to expand the church to its current form.

Inside, in addition to numerous works of sacred art and finely crafted furnishings, there is a precious late-19th-century organ by the Orsi masters of Bologna, set in a splendid wooden gallery crafted by local artisans. The façade and the beautiful bell tower, designed by architect Rivani, date from the end of the Second World War. Every year, the sanctuary celebrates Pentecost on the last Sunday of August.

The recurring appearances of the Virgin Mary to the mountain shepherd children symbolize how the divine finds in the purity of children’s gaze a privileged channel, closed to many of the “wise and learned.” Today, this message resonates even more, reminding us that purity is often tested in a society wholly absorbed by the ephemeral. A return to simplicity is a small miracle—a hard-won achievement. For many, the journey along the Via Mater Dei can be a true revelation.