Borgo Tossignano: Gypsum Landscape, History and Trails

Borgo Tossignano Between Gypsum Landscape and History

Above Borgo Tossignano, the Vena del Gesso Romagnola forms an imposing gypsum ridge in the Santerno Valley. Particularly striking is the Riva di San Biagio, a five-kilometre-long formation in the Vena del Gesso Romagnola Regional Park.

Geology at the Palazzo Baronale

A good gateway to this unique landscape is the Museo Geologico della Vena del Gesso Romagnola. It is housed in the Palazzo Baronale in Tossignano and focuses on the Messinian gypsum formations. An exhibition tour takes visitors through geologically significant sites in the park. The palazzo itself was originally the feudal residence of the Altemps family.

The gorge of the Rio Sgarba also shows how closely geology and the character of the area are connected. It opens into the gypsum cliff of the Riva di San Biagio. Well-preserved fish and plant fossils have been found in the clayey interlayers of the Rio Sgarba gorge.

Churches, Ruins and Local Memory

The first document mentioning the Oratorio San Girolamo dates from 1449. The oratory was later expanded and converted into a church. The Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo was built in 1568, after the Dominican friar Sebastiano Gravina initiated a collection to fund it.

Few panoramic ruins remain of the Rocca di Tossignano Alta. This historical perspective is complemented by the Museo della cultura materiale Valter Mita, which was founded in 1999 after Valter Mita donated his collection.

The Santerno, Casa del Fiume and Badland Relief

The Casa del Fiume visitor centre is located on the banks of the Santerno River in the area of the Vena del Gesso Romagnola Park belonging to the municipality of Borgo Tossignano (BO). Casa del Fiume offers activities for exploring and communicating the ecosystem of the Santerno River and the development of the landscape of the Santerno Valley. The floodplain at Casa del Fiume and its facilities are freely accessible to the public.

From Casa del Fiume in Borgo Tossignano, the park leads a hiking trail up to Monte Penzola. Another hiking trail maintained by the park runs from Tossignano via the Riva di San Biagio to Ca' Budrio.

From Monte Penzola, you can look out over amphitheatres of blue clay with badland relief north of the Vena del Gesso.

Cycle Paths and Regional Specialities

The Ciclovia del Santerno has a mixed surface of unpaved and asphalt roads. The route is therefore not paved throughout. At the same time, the Ciclovia del Santerno connects the plain around Imola with the Apennine foothills.

The local character of the Santerno Valley also includes chestnut cultivation, which has been practised there for over 500 years. The Festa della Polenta di Tossignano is a traditional event held on Shrove Tuesday. The Sagra dei Maccheroni di Borgo is likewise a traditional event held on Shrove Tuesday.

When to Visit and Further Orientation

The microclimate in the Vena del Gesso Park makes visits possible throughout the year.

More Destinations

For further travel planning, you can also find Argelato, Pian del Voglio, Medicina, Malalbergo, Brento, Pizzano, Sala Bolognese, Calcara.

For the higher-level travel overview: Bologna.