Bologna Parco di Villa Spada
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Parco di Villa Spada Photos
About Parco di Villa Spada
The grounds of this park extend for 6 hectares between the Meloncello River and Ravone.
The path to the top which is a bit of a climb is covered with Mediterranean Evergreen trees such as oak, cyprus, mountain laurels, home grown pine and maritime. There are many smaller bushes of exotic species nearer to the entrance and some others interspersed around the park.
This medieval tower goes back as far as the 19th century. The owner of the villa in the grounds, appointed the architect Manini responsible for its construction.
According to local tradition one of Italy’s most famous patriots Ugo Bassi and another young comrade by the name of Giovanni Livraghi had spent their last few hours inside the tower as prisoners of the Austrian army before they were executed nearby. Nowadays of course the only thing inside are the park warden’s garden tools and materials.
Throughout the park are various points of interest. For example, there are games for children or areas set aside for their amusement and places where different panoramas of the nearby hills of Bologna including the city. In particular there are specific areas dedicated and marked out as growing certain plants and flowers from around the world or exotic species of trees and bushes. At its highest point the park rises to 120m with views in every direction. One vista affords a very clear view San Petronio in Piazza Maggiore, the very center of Bologna.
Back down to the start again is where this beautiful villa stands in neoclassical architecture designed by GB Martinetti for the Zambeccari family around the end of the 1700s. Inside is now the Museum of Tapestry which is privately owned. This coat of arms shown here belonged to the Spada family whose name is obviously still connected to the building.
This path leads up to one of the highlights of the park. On the way is this building on the left. It’s the Biblioteca Oriano Tassinari Clo – a modern library belonging to the University of Bologna.
At the entrance to the once owned private gardens of the villa is this odd looking but illustriously decorated structure. It’s actually a crypt and also dates to the same time as the villa. There’s no human remains inside it however because it was only designed for dogs. No doubt the owners had something serious to say about their relationship with animals. De Maria was responsible for this work of art. There doesn’t appear to be any visible indication of how many dogs are interred here as time and possibly a little bit of graffiti may have destroyed any remaining evidence. Up until a few decades ago it was still possible to see a terracotta statue of a dog.
This small Italianised garden here at the back was also designed by the architect Martinetti. After the death of Zambeccari in 1811 the villa subsequently passed to other noble families including Marescotti, Levi and the Marchioness of Beaufort. At one time it was even owned by a Turkish Prince. The local council of Bologna acquired the park around 1970 and opened it to the public some years later.
This fine, priceless sculpture of Hercules from the early 1800s is also the work of De Maria and is the only remaining piece of art from those times that used to embellish the gardens here.
Further back from the library is what appears to be a perimeter wall. It is fact a stair way again leading up to another part of the park. On the way though is a trail of local graffiti which was organised and carried out in 1975 by the ANPI – a group of political activists. There is one particular theme and that is the memory of those partigiani women volunteers who fought and died fighting against the Nazis and Mussolini’s Fascists. The whole work of art including various sculptures is dedicated to 128 women from Bologna whose names are also inscribed into the brick work.
At the top is a semi-circular row of seats. These were built on the foundations of an old Roman amphitheatre.
Climbing up the hill a little further is the last work of art in the park. Set among the trees this contemporary piece of art is made to look like giant flowers. The end piece displays a poem which reads: A better world. I would like to go alone, to meet friendlier people, I don’t know, toward the unknown where nobody dies. It was written by Alena Syukova who was 15years old.
Routes and pathways all around the park are clearly mapped out. Of course the best time to view any or all that’s on offer is from Spring time onward because the park can be a bit of a mud bath during the wetter and colder months.