Manzoli Castle (Italy)

In Minerbio, in the hamlet of San Martino in Soverzano, surrounded by a stretch of water and a wooded area, there is a medieval castle that is open only a few times a year. It is the Manzoli Castle, which rises in the countryside of Bologna.

An enchanting place built by the homonymous knight in 1411, around what remained of the ancient Ariosti tower and which maintains the same walls, battlements and moats of the time. With its 4 corner towers and a large park, the manor is a private property that is open to visitors only for special occasions, such as guided tours organized by associations, but also on the occasion of an annual fair with historical re-enactment. An event that usually takes place in autumn and which has ancient origins, dating back to 1584, strongly desired as an extension of another event, the Riccardina di Budrio fair.

Completely renovated in 1800, to enter this ancient castle, just like in the past, you have to go through the drawbridge (still fully functional) and then enter the courtyard. The lucky ones who have already been there tell of a fairytale place, like those you read in books, where even today, in the decorated rooms, among stone fireplaces and large rooms, there are also paintings and frescoes, as well as paintings of the sixteenth century and the seventeenth century. A place that is a symbol of a past history and that immediately plunges visitors into an ancient era, also thanks to the almost intact presence of the court, chapel, loggia and halls, in addition to the throne room.

To make the atmosphere even more magical, the fact that this historic residence is completely immersed in nature, in a centuries-old park of undoubted beauty. And now a curiosity: the ancient Romans loved to call this area the “Selva Minervese”, in honor of the goddess Minerva.

It is from here that the city of Minerbio takes its name. This Bolognese town, not even far from Ferrara, is also worth a visit for another splendid medieval architecture from the 1300s: the Rocca Isolani and its dovecote. A symbol of the past, embellished with important frescoes in the sixteenth century, which we certainly recommend you go and see. This makes it a unique destination for those who love visiting castles and ancient residences, especially those less known to the general public.