Discover Fontana: Borgo, Palazzo Sanuti and the Mastelletta Route
Accommodation in Fontana
Fontana is a borgo behind the cliff in the direction of Marzabotto. Its character can be understood through a combination of architectural history, traces in the townscape and a route along the Reno. This makes the village particularly interesting if you would like to explore a historic setting with specific links to the landscape, paths and regional history.
File:Palazzo Sanuti (Fontana, Sasso Marconi) abc1.jpg
Photo: Patafisik via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Palazzo Sanuti and the history of Fontana
Palazzo Sanuti was built in the mid-15th century by Nicolò Sanuti as a country residence for his family. Fontana owes its name to the fountain in the courtyard of this palazzo. Spring water was drawn from the fountain – a detail that connects the history of the name with the actual place.
Traces of a fresco depicting Sanuti and his second wife, Nicolosia Castellani, can still be seen in Palazzo Sanuti. The historic detail is therefore anchored in the building itself and adds a preserved pictorial motif to the family history.
Oratory and row of houses
Opposite the entrance to Palazzo Sanuti, the oratory stands in a row of houses along the road. The oratory once had a fresco of Saint Anthony Abbot in the lunette area of its façade; no trace of it remains. Together with the fresco traces in Palazzo Sanuti, this creates a townscape in which preserved and lost pictorial evidence stand side by side.
The Mastelletta Route along the Reno
The Mastelletta Route connects the center of Sasso Marconi with Borgo Fontana and runs along the Reno. Palazzo Sanuti is one of the stops on this route. The Mastelletta Route is also connected with the Baroque painter Giovanni Andrea Donducci, who was known as Mastelletta. In this way, a specific route connection, a historic building and a name from Baroque painting come together in Fontana.
The ancient Saragozza road, now called Via Porrettana, also explains the location of the borgo from a historical perspective. At the cliff, it led down via Via Gasparri to the river and then uphill again through Fontana. If you are interested in the development of old transport routes, Fontana can therefore be understood as a place along a traditional route.
Greenery and travel history
Greenery dominates Fontana. In some areas, it is shaped by trees introduced from distant regions. This combination of vegetation and masonry traces around Palazzo Sanuti and the oratory gives the village a clear contrast between nature and architectural history.
The history of travel also includes the Osteria alla Fontana. It was a stopping place for travelers heading up the valley from Bologna. For visitors who would like to connect historic travel movements with local history, this former resting place adds to the picture of Fontana.
When choosing accommodation for your stay, you can explore Fontana through these specific themes: Palazzo Sanuti and its fresco traces, the oratory opposite, the Mastelletta Route along the Reno or the history of the old road. This keeps your accommodation choice oriented toward the actual features of the village, rather than simply following a general label.
Discover more destinations
More destinations: Monterenzio, Ozzano Dell Emilia, Scuola, Vergato, Pieve Di Cento, I Casoni, Castello Di Serravalle, Castel D'aiano.
To the broader travel overview: Bologna.
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