MONTE SAN PIETRO - Bologna
Guide to MONTE SAN PIETRO
Monte San Pietro is a municipality of 11,029 inhabitants in the province of Bologna.
Some findings show that the area has been inhabited as early as 2500 BC, during the Copper Age, but remains have also been found that testify to the presence of Villanovan and Etruscan civilizations.
However, the first stable settlement dates back to the Roman period.
Given its position, to counter the invasions of the Lombards; the area of Monte San Pietro has always been of great strategic and military importance; precisely for this reason, until the year One Thousand, many castles, villages, and fortresses were built here.
After being part of the territories of the city of Bologna for a period, Monte San Pietro came under the control of the Papal State, until the Unification of Italy.
WHAT TO SEE AND WHAT TO DO IN MONTE SAN PIETRO
It is worth going to Badia to visit the ancient Church of San Fabiano di Lavinio, from the 12th century: here, in ancient times, pilgrims headed to Rome could stop to rest, and within its structure you can still see elements that are primarily religious, such as the church, the cloister, and the monastery, as well as others for civil use, like the tower. The small village of Mongiorgio is very beautiful, where you can admire a 10th-century castle, inside of which you can also see the Church of San Sigismondo and San Pietro. A visit to the Church of San Giovanni Battista, in Monte San Giovanni, is worthwhile, as it houses one of the oldest functioning organs in Bologna, dating back to the 16th century.
Like some other locations in Emilia Romagna, Monte San Pietro is one of the pearls of the Motor Valley, an area dedicated to engines and related sports and home to some of the most important companies in the world operating in the sector. Monte San Pietro hosts one of the most astonishing collections of vintage motorcycles, the Bruno Nigelli Collection, which contains over 300 pieces from all eras, many of which are unique specimens of invaluable worth. The idea that guided Bruno Nigelli, a mechanics enthusiast, in creating his collection was to tell, celebrate, and remember the story of "Bologna Motoristica" which from 1920 to 1970 could boast as many as 84 motorcycle companies and almost 200 mechanical companies operating in the sector, active in the area. Many of these companies have disappeared today, but this collection keeps alive the memory of a period and a region that represented a unique reality in the world. Among the highlights of the collection are, to name just a few, the Morini 250 bialbero of Tarquinio Provini, with which he achieved surprising results at a time when the dominance of Japanese 4-cylinder engines was beginning to establish itself, the Ducati 750 of Walter Villa, and a collection of 250 engines, both Italian and foreign.
FAIRS AND EVENTS
Among the events held in Monte San Pietro throughout the year, we remember the Sagra del Vino dei Colli Bolognesi, at the beginning of September, with street food stands and tastings of the typical wines of the area, all accompanied by live music; in mid-October, there is the Sagra della Caldarrosta, an opportunity to taste the prized marroni of Montepastore, as well as other chestnut-based products; in December, there are the Christmas Markets, with food and wine stands and local handicrafts, a great chance to buy gifts.
Tourist Office IAT Colli Bolognesi
Villa Edvige Garagnani, Via Masini 11 Zola Predosa.
Tel. +39 051 992 3221
Municipality of MONTE SAN PIETRO
Piazza della Pace, 2 - 40050
Tel. +39 051 676 4411
www.comune.montesanpietro.bo.it
OTHER USEFUL CONTACTS
Bazzano Hospital - Viale dei martiri, 10b Tel. +39 051 838811
Emergency room tel. 118
HOW TO REACH MONTE SAN PIETRO
by Car: A1 /A16 motorway Bologna Casalecchio exit or Bologna bypass exit no.3 then South-West Equipped Axis/Via Nuova Bazzanese, SP26 and SP75 towards Monte San Pietro.
by Bus : from Bologna Bus Station, TPER Bus #686 to Tolè, stop Monte San Pietro.
MONTE SAN PIETRO
