Passing through dense oak and chestnut woods, you reach the Abbey Church of Santa Lucia, an important stop and place of hospitality for pilgrims. The abbey dates back to the 10th–11th centuries and is attributed to Saint Anselm, the first abbot and founder of the Monastery of Nonantola. The building preserves its original Romanesque structure and a crypt with capitals and decorations dating to the 12th century.

This church, probably dating back to before the year 1000, was bombed and later poorly rebuilt, resulting in the loss of the cloister and much of the abbey complex. However, the crypt remains a small gem.

Rocca di Roffeno is an important testimony to a glorious medieval past: it is home to the oldest parish church (already recognized as a “place of the heart,” the Pieve di Roffeno) and also to the oldest surviving wooden tabernacle in the Archdiocese of Bologna.

Here, history and legend intertwine in the search for the castle where Azzo Roffeno is said to have resisted the siege by the Bolognese—likely located in what is now the tower house of Monzone. This tower house, possibly dating back to the 13th century (or even earlier), also hosted Giorgio Morandi at the beginning of his career. During his summer stays, he created as many as 18 works here.

All this, and much more, highlights Rocca di Roffeno—with its many traces of a glorious past—as a place worthy of recognition, preservation, and promotion.

Rocca di Roffeno is the ancient villa of Musiolo, which belonged to the Roffeni castle, vassals of Matilda of Canossa. In the surrounding area are the Romanesque Pieve of San Pietro, one of the best-preserved in the Apennines, and the Church of San Martino. Several tower houses are also present, including the 14th-century Monzone complex, which hosted the painter Giorgio Morandi during some of his summer stays. A scenic route connects Rocca di Roffeno to Castel d’Aiano.

The current layout of the complex, repeatedly altered over time, dates largely to the 18th century. At the base of the bell tower is preserved the oldest wooden tabernacle in the Diocese of Bologna, with a Latin inscription reading: “…made by Lazzaro of Carpineto from the Diocese of Reggio Emilia – 1486.” Also noteworthy are several paintings by renowned Bolognese painters, including Calvart, Crespi, and Bigari.

The museum displays objects from the Second World War, collected directly from the battlefields in the territories of Castel d’Aiano, Gaggio Montano, Grizzana Morandi, Castel di Casio, and Porretta Terme (Bolognese Apennines), as well as Montese and Zocca (Modenese Apennines). Between October 1944 and April 1945, this area was part of the front known as the Gothic Line (although locally it was called Linea Verde II). The front saw clashes between the Allied forces—Americans, Brazilians, South Africans, and Italians—and the German army.

A key part of the exhibition consists of donations from local families, who collected objects left by soldiers near or inside their homes, either personally or through their relatives. The museum is based on the stories of soldiers and civilians, reconstructed through photographs and personal items.

All the material on display comes primarily from these areas and is authentic, as maintaining the originality and historical integrity of each object is a top priority.

In Castel d’Aiano, an important castle of the Matildic period, the Piccola Cassia passed along the border between Modena and Bologna, strategically controlled by fortifications and tower houses. This role was confirmed during the Second World War, when the area was part of the defensive structure of the Gothic Line. The territory features sulfur springs, caves, and forests, as well as evidence of numerous mountain mills powered by the many streams.

The route, heading toward the plains, leads to Rocca di Roffeno; in the direction of Tuscany, it passes by the Madonna della Brasa and then reaches the rocky spur of Sasso Molare.

About one kilometer from the center of Castel d’Aiano, the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Brasa is worth a visit. It was built entirely from tuff stone quarried from the Labante Caves.

The sanctuary, erected between 1719 and 1734, stands on the site where, according to popular tradition, an image of the Madonna miraculously reappeared on an old chestnut tree after being removed by the owner of the estate. The original building, constructed in the first half of the 18th century and later expanded, was unfortunately completely destroyed during the Second World War.

The history of the sanctuary is steeped in faith and reflects a deep bond with the local community. The current building was reconstructed in 1960 according to a design by architect Adriano Marabini, who sought to offer a new interpretation of the original structure. The venerated image, originally known as the Madonna del Fuoco or della Brasa, has undergone various vicissitudes over the centuries.

The Sanctuary of the Madonna di Brasa is the destination of numerous pilgrimages. From the village, a Via Crucis path leads through the forest all the way to the sanctuary.

The Church of San Giacomo, perched atop one of the three hills of Sasso Molare in a commanding and panoramic position, reflects the strategic importance of this village in a border area between Modena and Bologna along the route toward Tuscany. The church dates back to 1330 and was repeatedly modified; in 1840 it was demolished down to the foundations—except for the main chapel—and completely rebuilt to permanently resolve recurring structural failures.

Inside, several valuable works are preserved, including a Madonna del Rosario from the school of Guido Reni and an 18th-century terracotta Via Crucis. The name of the village likely derives from the presence of a stone quarry once used to produce millstones for mills.

Just below the summit of Monte Castello, you can admire this monumental work designed by Brazilian sculptor Mary Vieira in 1996, under the High Patronage of the Brazilian Ministry of Culture, and erected in 2001.

The piece, titled “Liberation: Monovolume at Open Rhythm,” commemorates the sacrifice of the pracinhas—young Brazilian soldiers—who fell during the attack on Monte Castello, then considered an “impregnable peak,” at the end of the Second World War.

The monument consists of a 24-meter black marble cross-shaped base supporting two enormous white granite semicircles, each 15 meters in diameter, intersecting one another. The design symbolizes life (sun) and death (moon).

It is set in a very scenic green area, surrounded by flat cultivated fields and offering a panoramic view of the historic center of Bombiana from above. The view is truly breathtaking!

The strategic border location between Bologna and Pistoia, along with the placement of the fortified village of Gaggio Montano atop the rock overlooking the town, has always made this area an important landmark along the Piccola Cassia route, serving both as a point of orientation and a place of hospitality.

During the Second World War, this territory was the scene of the advancing Liberation front. The Piccola Cassia route leads to Monte Castello, where, in the Guanella area, stands the large Monument to the Fallen of the Brazilian army.