Valsenio
A bit of history about Casola Valsenio
Hello everyone! Today I want to talk about Casola Valsenio, a municipality in the Emilia-Romagna region in the province of Ravenna, with about 2500 inhabitants. This area has been inhabited since ancient times and there have been archaeological findings that testify to the presence of Etruscan, Gallic, and Roman settlements.
The Abbey of San Benedetto di Valsenio and agricultural land reclamation
However, the first important settlement was the Abbey of San Benedetto di Valsenio, founded in the year 1000, 3 km north of the current town. From here, a vast land reclamation project began, resulting in the increase of crops and the introduction of chestnut cultivation.
Casola Valsenio before the year 1000
The first mention of the locality of Casola dates back to 1126 when Pope Honorius II gave the ''Castrum Casulae'' to the Diocese of Imola. The fortification was located on the hill overlooking the current town. However, in June 1216, the Faentini destroyed the 'castra' forcing the inhabitants to move downstream and found a new settlement.
Maghinardo Pagani in Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy
Originally from the upper Senio valley is the Pagani family, from which Maghinardo Pagani descended, a protagonist of the political and military events of the Romagna in the XIII century, mentioned by Dante Alighieri in the Divine Comedy with these words: "the lion cub from the white nest, who changes from summer to winter quarters."
Casola Valsenio from the XIV to the XVI century
In the XIV century, the Cardinal Apostolic Legate, Anglico de Grimoard, spoke of Casola as a 'villa' belonging to the territory of Imola with 42 fires (about 170-190 people). In 1424, Filippo Maria Visconti conquered Imola and swore allegiance to the Duke of Milan, and Casola passed to the Manfredi of Faenza in 1439, then to Girolamo Riario and Caterina Sforza, lords of Imola and Forlì in 1478, and finally to Cesare Borgia (1500-1503). In 1506, together with the Senio valley, it was annexed to the Papal States. In 1524, the municipal boundaries were redefined, and the border between the municipalities of Casola Valsenio and Brisighella was placed on the Senio river.
The Ceroni family and the 19th century
In the first half of the 19th century, the municipality of Casola Valsenio lost some of its parishes in favor of the municipality of Brisighella. However, the role of the Ceroni family was consolidated, so much so that the nickname "Ceroni" spread among the neighboring towns for the inhabitants of Casola.
In conclusion, Casola Valsenio is a municipality rich in history and culture, where traces of the past blend with the modernity of the present day. The presence of the Abbey of San Benedetto di Valsenio remains a tangible sign of the fruitful life of the territory from the year 1000 onwards. If you decide to visit this area of Emilia-Romagna, you will be welcomed with great warmth by its inhabitants and you will be able to appreciate the beauty of its landscapes, the scents of the countryside, the culinary specialties, and much more.
