CASTENASO | Bologna
CASTENASO Travel Guide
Castenaso is a small town of 15,214 inhabitants in the province of Bologna. The first settlements date back to the 9th century b.C., and relate to the Villanovian culture; even the presence of the Romans is well documented and the name Castenaso seems to derive from the latin “Castrum Nasicae”, in memory of the battle between the consul Publio Cornelio Scipione Nasica, who defeated the Galli Boi between 190 and 189 b.C. In the Middle Ages the territory was under the control of the city of Bologna, and it is in the documents of that time that we can find for the first time the name of Castenasio, but it was only at the end of 1800 that the city began to have its own identity.
what to see and what to do in CASTENASO
There are worth a visit to
- Palazzo Guidotti, which has a beautiful barrel vault dating from the 17th century in the underground;
- Casa Bondi, currently home to the Municipal Library, which is an example of the rural architecture of the Bolognese plain;
- the church of the Blessed Virgin of Pilar, dedicated by the Rector of the College of Spain to the Virgin worshiped in Zaragoza;
- Villa Marana, both for its 17th century architecture, particularly evident in the façade, and for its interesting private art collection.
- The Museum of Villanovian Civilization, wanted in 1853 by Count Giovanni Gozzadini, who discovered in this area, at the end of the 1800s, the remains of a culture he called, and now internationally recognized, Villanovians, by the name of the localion on which his land lay. The museum exhibits the funerary stele and funeral equipment of the Marano di Castenaso necropolis, dating back to the 7th century b.C., also available through a multimedia system of projections, touchscreens and movies.
Castenaso is located in the center of the Motor Valley, an area that crosses the whole of Emilia Romagna and where you can find as many as 7 companies that make cars and motorcycles famous all over the world, such as Lamborghini and Ferrari. There are a lot fo activities that you can do inside it, starting from the visit to the museums up to the events, such as the competitions, that take place during the course of the year. But you can also simply have fun with your own vehicle, along the beautiful roads of the region. Among the many special collections that can be found in these parts, the Moto Poggi Collection, in Villanova di Castenaso, which traces the history of Yamaha's racing motorcycles, is worth a visit. Among the models on display, over 60, enthusiasts can see the YDS-1R, from 1959, a true heirloom, but also the evolution of the Yamaha TZ, from vintage models to more recent ones. In addition to more classic bikes, the collection also includes motorcycles driven by great champions, such as Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo.
EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS
Many events take place during the year in Castenaso:
- on the 19th of March, for the day of San Giuseppe, there is the Feast of the Raviola, where you can taste the Fiesso raviole (shortbread stuffed with Bolognese mustard and jam of black plums), traditionally deeped in red wine;
- the second weekend of April is the Spring Festival, with food and wine stands, music and a craft market with display and sale of typical products on the streets of the country;
- in the middle of September take place the Graefruit Feast, this year at the 62nd edition, with exhibitions, wine and food stands and music; very interesting is the historical reenactment, in costume, of the last battle along the river Idice between Galli Boi and the legions of the Roman consul Publio Cornelio Scipione.
- On the last weekend of September, in the district of Marano, take place the Farm Festival, with a display of agricultural vehicles and the possibility to taste the dishes prepared by the Maranis arzdaure (ancient term that indicated the housemaids), such as skewer beef, now a tradition on the occasion of the party;
- during the last weekend of September and the first of October there is the Beer Festival: on this occasion you can taste all the typical dishes of Bavarian cuisine, from various types of wurstel to the sauerkraut, to the pork shank cooked with beer and, of course, apple strudel and sachertorte, all of which are obviously accompanied by beer coming directly from Munich in the original wood briquettes.
- In December, the streets and squares celebrate the Christmas Market, with local handicraft stalls and wine and food stands.
Useful Info and Contacts
Pro Loco CASTENASO
(association promoting local culture and tourism)
c/o Centro Sociale Ricreativo e Culturale "L'Airone"
Via Marconi, 14
tel. +39 051 604 9134
www.prolococastenaso.it
Via Marconi, 14
tel. +39 051 604 9134
www.prolococastenaso.it
CASTENASO Town hall
Via XXI Ottobre 1944, 7
Tel. +39 051 605 91 11
Tel. +39 051 605 91 11
www.comune.castenaso.bo.it
where is Castenaso and how to reach
CAR: From the A14 motorway the exit to reach Castenaso is Bologna San Lazzaro; from the Bologna ring road instead are exits n. 12 or n. 13.
TRAIN: Metropolitan Railway Service direction PORTOMAGGIORE, with frequent frequency, from Bologna Central stops Villanova or Castenaso.
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