piccola cassia - stage 4 - GAGGIO MONTANO to ROCCA CORNETA

general info

Distance: 15.8km
Elevation gain / loss: +500m / -520m

Terrain:

Tarmac: 65%
Trail: 35%

Technical difficulties and sections requiring special attention

All trail sections may be slippery or hazardous in muddy conditions.

How to reach the starting point by public transport

TPER bus lines: 756, 757

Public transport options from the endpoint

TPER bus line: 776

GPX track download

Stage description

After Gaggio, the Piccola Cassia heads into the Modenese territory, running halfway up the Silla stream valley with wide views of Monte Pizzo, Monte Grande, and Corno alle Scale. In this section, Monte Belvedere is particularly significant, having been the site of important battles at the end of the Second World War, during the winter of 1944–45.

It is possible to descend via a steep trail to the Dardagna stream beneath the imposing cliffs of Monte Cappel Buso, where the Mulino della Piastra can be found, set in a highly evocative landscape.

The Piccola Cassia route then continues beyond the Apennines toward the south. Today, it connects in the Modenese territory to the nearby Via Romea Nonantolana, which, through the Passo della Croce Arcana, leads into Tuscany, retracing the path followed for centuries by pilgrims and travelers heading to Rome.

Points of interest

Monte Belvedere

The Church of Santa Maria and San Valentino della Grada owes its name to the “grada,” an iron barrier—still visible today—through which the Reno Canal flowed in the historic center, serving to prevent enemy entry into the town. Nearby is the building known as the Opificio della Grada, an old hydraulic facility built between 1681 and 1683 as a tannery; today it houses the so-called Opificio delle Acque, a space for cultural, exhibition, and educational initiatives organized as part of the permanent project Bologna Città d’Acque.

Monte Belvedere (1,139 m a.s.l.) is located a few kilometers above Querciola. From its summit, visitors can enjoy a wonderful panorama and the ruins of the ancient medieval castle.

The Belvedere Castle was built in 1227 in a strategic position on Monte Cimbriano (later also called Monte Belvedere) to counter threats from Frederick II. The ruins of the castle are still visible, allowing its layout to be reconstructed. During the era of the Signorie, the castle lost its importance and was eventually completely abandoned.

Monte Belvedere regained strategic significance during the Second World War, as it was part of the Green Line, a fallback of the Gothic Line. It was used by German forces as a stronghold and later recaptured by the 10th Mountain Division (American and Brazilian soldiers) with the help of local partisans.

The site is also associated with an old legend: a mysterious cross-shaped groove in which grass never grows is said to be a visible—and somewhat eerie—sign of an ancient story involving the Devil and a girl named Oliva.

Google Maps location

Rocca Corneta

Rocca Corneta is also marked by a solitary bell tower, perched on a massive rocky spur, which was once a fortification of the Bolognese Senate and later converted into a bell tower. Today, it serves as an important panoramic viewpoint over the Dardagna valley, set in an unspoiled natural area. At the foot of this summit stands the Church of San Martino, which for centuries served as the sole unified institution of this border territory, long contested between Modena and Bologna.