Forlimpopoli: Fortress, Museums and Casa Artusi

Fortress, Archaeology and Historic Spaces

The MAF Archaeological Museum is housed in the rooms of the Renaissance fortress of Rocca Ordelaffa. Its exhibition includes remains of the 12th-century Romanesque Cathedral of Santa Maria foropopiliense. The Rocca di Forlimpopoli features imposing walls. This fortification also includes bastions, distinctive towers, a moat and a drawbridge. Those who approach Forlimpopoli through its history will find both an archaeological museum collection and a visibly preserved fortress complex here.

Museums of Two-Wheeler History

The Collezione Elio Brunelli Museum presents Moto Guzzi motorcycles from 1930 to 1970 across 650 square metres. This area refers to the presentation of the Moto Guzzi motorcycles. The Collezione Elio Brunelli also has a room with numerous Lambretta scooters. The chronologically defined Moto Guzzi collection and the scooters in a separate room represent two distinct vehicle focuses. It thus expands Forlimpopoli’s cultural themes to include Italian two-wheeler history. For those interested in technology, this brings not only the Moto Guzzi brand but also Lambretta into focus.

Teatro Verdi

The Teatro Verdi was inaugurated in 1830 and today serves both as a theatre and as a cinema.

Churches, Art and Sacred Heritage

The Chiesa dei Servi houses Marco Palmezzano’s altarpiece of the Annunciation from 1533. The Basilica di San Rufillo preserves funerary monuments to Brunoro I and Brunoro II. The altarpiece and the funerary monuments represent different sacred sites. Visitors interested in culture therefore encounter in Forlimpopoli both a single Renaissance work of art and the memory of two historical figures.

Casa Artusi and Culinary Culture

Forlimpopoli-Bertinoro railway station is a five-minute walk from Casa Artusi. Rail travellers can incorporate this short walk directly into their arrival planning. The culinary cultural centre Casa Artusi comprises the courtyard, the recipe gallery, the Chiesa dei Servi di Maria and the loggia. It also includes the gastronomic library, the library and memorabilia of Pellegrino Artusi, as well as the cooking school. Every year, Forlimpopoli awards the Premio Artusi to a person who has made an original contribution to the discussion of the relationship between people and food. The town’s culinary culture is thus rooted both in the spaces of Casa Artusi and in this annual award.

Water Engineering and Landscape

The original wells of the water supply system have been preserved on the fenced grounds of Acquedotto Spinadello. The building of Acquedotto Spinadello was restored in 2012–2013 to serve as the visitor centre of Parco dei Meandri del Fiume Ronco. The restoration concerned the building, while the wells have been preserved as original elements of the water supply system. The site’s landscape perspective is thereby connected with its history of water engineering.

More Destinations

If you would like to extend your trip to Italy beyond Forlimpopoli, you can find more destinations at Predappio Alta, San Mauro a Mare, Cesenatico, Montepetra, Fiumana, Longiano, Galeata and Terra del Sole.

For the higher-level travel overview: Forlì-Cesena.