Meldola: History, Art and Nature

Meldola lies at the beginning of the Bidente Valley, on the road leading from the area around Forlì towards the Apennines. The Ronco River runs immediately alongside the historic centre. This gives you a place where the historic urban setting, art and a closer look at the natural surroundings can be combined as distinct focal points for planning your trip.

Art and history in the town centre

The Oratorio della Confraternita delle Santissime Stimmate di San Francesco represents an important historical and artistic highlight of Meldola. The oratory was founded in 1632 and houses a painting of the Madonna and Child with Saint Francis by Francesco Caccianiga (1700–1781), a painter from Milan. If you would like to visit the oratory on a guided tour, you can make a reservation by email at patrimoniostoricoeartistico@auslromagna.it.

The Chiesa del Santissimo Crocifisso o dell’Ospedale di Meldola is decorated with a cycle of paintings depicting episodes from the Passion of Jesus. The cycle was completed over a period of 15 years, by 1508. The Meldola health collection is also on display in the same church.

The Museo del baco da seta “C. Ronchi” offers a distinct cultural and historical focus. It documents Meldola’s three-hundred-year local silk tradition. For your visit, please enquire by telephone about opening days and hours.

Rocca, Teatro and special dates

The Rocca di Meldola has been documented since the 11th century; the exact year in which the imposing complex was built is unknown. It can be visited in part during opening periods, and events are also held there during the summer season. In the historic centre, next to Piazza F. Orsini, is the Teatro A. Dragoni; its origins date back more than three centuries.

A special date is the last weekend of August: on the occasion of the festival in honour of the Blessed Virgin del Popolo, Meldola’s co-patron saint, the “Roccambolesca” event is organised in cooperation with several Meldola volunteer associations. A guided tour takes visitors through the Rocca, where works by photographers, sculptors and painters are exhibited.

Bosco di Scardavilla and nature observation

For those interested in natural history, there is the Bosco di Scardavilla nature reserve. It was established in 1991 and covers approximately 30 hectares. The development of the natural landscape is observed there, and knowledge of its flora and fauna is deepened.

Access is clearly regulated: visits are possible only by appointment with the reserve management. Access also requires an appropriate permit, which must be collected from the museum management at the town hall. When choosing your accommodation, you can therefore structure your stay around your personal focus: historical culture or an arranged nature visit. Meldola is particularly appealing to travellers who want to plan a cultural programme and nature observation consciously.

Discover more destinations

More destinations: Gambettola, Montepetra, San Benedetto In Alpe, Cagnona, Il Monte, Gatteo-Sant'angelo, Premilcuore, Montiano

To the overarching travel overview: Forlì-Cesena.