Budrio

Budrio is a small town rich in monuments, bearing witness to its ancient splendour. The city center still shows fortified towers and segments of the ancient city walls from the original Roman and Medieval town, but overall exhibits a lovely 17-18th-century appearance, characterized by traditional porticoes.In fact, it was in the years between the Renaissance and the Enlightenment that Budrio prospered thanks to a new technique in hemp processing.

Many palaces date back to this period: for example, along via Garibaldi, the Palazzo Boriani Dalla Noce, hosting the historical Consorziale Theatre, the Archaeological Museum and the Civic art Gallery "Domenico Inzaghi", or the palaces of the Puppet museum and of the Ocarina Museum, the latter being a unique exhibition dedicated to the worldwide famous terracotta wind instrument born in Budrio, celebrated every two years in the International Ocarina Festival.

The historical center includes other points of interest, such as the San Lorenzo Church with its 15th-century painting, the San Domenico Church, the central square with the statue of the Budrio's most famous son, Quirico Filopanti, and the 15th-century Torre dell'Orologio (Clock Tower). Few meters from the central square is possible to see the Water Towers, a modern cultural center set in a restored old aqueduct.

Also in the Budrio surroundings is possible to find artistic treasures, like the Church of Santissimi Gervasio and Protasio, one of the most ancient parish churches in the Bolognese area, or the superb Malvezzi-Campeggi complex of country residences in locality Bagnarola, also known as the "Bolognese Versailles".

Photo credit: Pierluigi Mioli