Vignola: nomen omen

Vignola, the charming hilly village set in the Modena area (Bologna is only 30 kilometres far) already has its mission in its own name that comes from Latin vineola meaning “piccola vigna” (tiny vineyard) because of its ancient cultivation of the grape that dates back to the Roma Age. But the history of Vignola is also about tiny parish churches, castles, monks if it’s true that the first fortress overlooking the Panaro river was wanted by Saint Anselm, the abbot of the nearby monastery of Nonantola around the year 800 to protect the surrounding territory. The urban surrounding

area also tells about the fights between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines, between the different dominions and feudal lords, the powerful Estensi family and the enlighted Contrari family from Ferrara: they wanted the restoration of the castle, the construction of new walls and the construction of what is still a jewel of Vignola, the Barozzi Palace that took its name from the architect who designed it, Jacopo Barozzi, also called, no need to mention it, The Vignola. Regarding other famous people from this village we must mention the historian Ludovico Antonio Muratori.

The historical centre,gems to be discovered

Strolling around the historical centre of Vignola can give you unexpected emotions not just for the architectural landmarks that you can see like the gems of a precious necklace but also because of the huge buildings that are displayed along the way starting with the massive castle dating back to the 15 th century that overlooks the big Piazza dei Contrari that show a unique balance between the volumes of the buildings and the crenelated towers as well as the elegant porch and the famous Contrari-Boncompagni

Palace (also known as Barozzi Palace) that we have already mention although it deserves a further appreciation for its aesthetical features as well as for its spiral staircase (well known as the Barozzi Staircase) that was the only link between the four floors of the building. It features an amazing spiral shape with 106 steps and an inclination that becomes more evident while you are getting up and you are also amazed by some wonderful frescos on the walls dating back to the 19 th century.

AurisRoof gardens and ancient towers

The charm of Vignola doesn’t end in Piazza dei Contrari: the whole village deserves a visit to see the other wonderful places where history is still breathing. Galvani Gardens is one of these places, it tells the story of the Galvani family when they moved there from Ferrara following the Contrari family: actually this roof botanical garden is set on the ancient walls, it includes the Galvani tower that was built by using the stones and it has a squared layout and the “Polpetta” tower that features a round layout. If the secular power is well represented by this important

legacy the ecclesiastical power is not far behind starting with the Plebana Church dating back to 1185, it was destroyed, rebuilt, enlarged and restyled plenty of times along the centuries. It features a neoclassic style with columns and Corinthian capitals on the front side and beautiful paintings inside, the Madonna with Child and Saints by Elisabetta Sirani, a follower of Guido Reni must be seen as well as some precious statues like the golden bronze Pietà by the artist Ivo Soli from Vignola who also made some statues of the Cathedral of Milan.

One thing leads to another

If the name Vignola reminds of the vineyards in the Roman Age, nowadays the wonderful village is famous mainly for the production of cherries, the Mora from Vignola Igp. These sweet “durone” cherries have been awarded with many prizes at an International level, also at the last National Festival of the “City of Cherries” that was held in June and this product was awarded as “the best Italian cherry in 2019”. We suggest you not to leave Vignola without buying at least

a jar of cherries under spirits! Cherries aren’t the only delicacies that Vignola offers to its visitors: you can’t help tasting at least one piece of the famous Barozzi Cake, it’s a symphony of dark chocolate with almonds and toast nuts that was invented in 1886 by Eugenio Gollini, the owner of the sweet shop that keeps his name that is still located in the historical centre; since then the recipe has been passed on to the following generations and it’s still secret.

Between the wine and… the vinegar

The area of Modena and the good food is an undisputed perfect match. There are two quality products that are well represented in Vignola: the wine and the vinegar. For the Bacchus lovers we must mention the fact that the city of cherries is set in an important area for the production of wine and it’s spread with wine cellars where some important sparkling red wines are kept since you are in the

area of the Lambrusco Doc. If you prefer the bitter unique taste of the balsamic vinegar you can’t miss a visit at the local vinegar factory which has been located at Villa Tosi-Bellucci since 1999 where the council house is also based. Here they produce a Dop balsamic vinegar and the apples’ vinegar that is aged inside different types of barrels made of cherry wood, chestnut wood and oak wood.