Loiano
Discovering Loiano: history and monuments
Hello everyone! Today I'll talk to you about Loiano, a beautiful town located in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, about 35 kilometers south of Bologna and 73 kilometers north of Florence. Loiano has a population of about 4391 inhabitants and is one of the 5 member municipalities of the Union of Savena-Idice municipalities.
The history and symbols of Loiano
Loiano, also known as Lujèn in the dialects of the mountainous areas around Bologna and Lujàn in the city dialect, has an ancient and interesting history. Its coat of arms and the town's flag were granted by decree of the President of the Republic on September 29, 2011. The flag is a yellow cloth.
The red lion of the current municipal coat of arms was in ancient documents a griffin that probably derived from the coat of arms of the Loiani, counts of Loiano ("argent, a red griffin"). The Capo d'Angiò is a reference to Bologna's domination over the territory.
Monuments and places of interest
Among the most important buildings in the town is the Church of Saints Giacomo and Margherita, built in the seventeenth century and then restored over the centuries. Famous is the "Locanda Corona", where in 1508 the annexation of Cento (Italy) to Ferrara was negotiated and where Goethe stayed in 1786.
Demographic evolution
Let's now talk about Loiano's society. The demographic evolution of the town in recent years has been quite stable.
The anthropic geography
The municipality of Loiano consists of the territorial communities of the hamlets of Anconella, Barbarolo, Bibulano, La Guarda, Roncastaldo, Quinzano, Sabbioni, Scanello, Scascoli.
Anconella
Anconella is a nucleus of historical and environmental value, reachable from both Sabbioni and the Savena valley road. Remembered as the locality "Ancona", among the dependencies of the Scanello court, in a list dating back to 1120-1150, preserved in Pisa and reporting the services due to the Pisan church from this Bolognese possession. In 1249 the community was reported and in 1288 "Anthonella" was listed among the "podesterie" of the Bolognese countryside, while the following year, 1289, the locality "Anthecellam" was included in the major "podesteria" of Scaricalsino.
Anconella was then merged with the municipality of Scascoli and in the seventeenth century most of its houses belonged to the Berti family.
The inhabited nucleus has a urbanistic layout and several buildings of particular interest. In the characteristic building of the inn with a front porch, a fireplace remains inside, with the Bentivoglio coat of arms and floral decorations, dating back to the end of the fifteenth and beginning of the sixteenth centuries.
A tower house with a terracotta cornice and a window dated 1525 is also noteworthy. Also notable are several caves excavated in sandstone, called "buse nelle lastre", once homes and shelters, which were also used as refuges during the war period; the largest has a depth of about 15 m and ends with a niche concluded by a lintel dating back to 1901. From a historical point of view, the Chiesina, expanded in the eighteenth century, and the remains of an ancient oratory dating back to the fourteenth century are important.
Barbarolo
The hamlet of Barbarolo is located on the northern border of the municipality of Loiano, slightly towards the Zena valley compared to the Futa state road. Here you can admire the beautiful Colle della Guardia, with a breathtaking panoramic view of the Savena valley and the city of Bologna.
Conclusions
Here is a brief guide to Loiano, a town rich in history and traditions, where you can immerse yourself in the beauty of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines and discover a unique and fascinating territory. Visit Loiano and let yourself be surprised by its beauty!
