○ 1528 AD: THE ABBEY OF ST. MICHAEL IN ALPES
§ A short history of the Abbey of Scaricalasino §
In 1528, the Soldier of Fortune Ramazzotto da Scaricalasino, better known as Armaciotto dei Ramazzotti (Monghidoro 1464 – Pietramala 1539), gave orders to the construction of an Olivetan monastery dedicated to St Michael ad Alpes.
The edifice, built at the back of Armaciotto’s palace, was square, with a huge central cloister reserved for the spiritual needs of the monks. Its construction, which cost a hefty 8000 gold Ducats, was mainly due to the good relations he held with the Curia in Rome and Bologna, being one of the most valiant defender of the Papal interests in the Romagna region.
On October 15, 1531, Armaciotto formally gave the monastery to the Congregation of Saint Mary of Mount Olive tying him, spiritually, to the Bolognese monastery of St Michael in Bosco, where in that same year the Ramazzotto had his funerary monument built realized by the famous sculptor Alfonso Lombardi.
In 1738, the monks commissioned the construction of a new wing to be used as a school and public institutions.
For almost three centuries, this building was an important reference point in the religious, administrative and social dealings of the town.
The monks hosted many distinguished and prominent guests (Princes, Kings, Popes, and Ambassadors as well as learned and scholarly men) on their travel along this route of primary importance, joining the Po Plain with Tuscany and beyond.
With Napoleon’s army arrival in Italy, in March 17, 1797 the monastery was dissolved and turned into a Municipal building as well as headquarters for the National Guard and Customs Office. Once the Napoleonic storm subsided, the Curia regained possession of the monastery and converted the old civil quarters to town dwellings. Three sides of the cloister were bricked up and the well that collected rainwater was replaced with public washtubs.
Soon after the end of World War II, the Bolognese Curia decided to knock down the old Church of St Mary, in so doing they opened up a large gap in the cloister, which they filled with a more modern edifice.
- The cloister of the St. Michael Abbey, today St. Leonardo Square -
GO to next page > 1592 : THE GREAT ST. MICHAEL FAIR
GO to previous page < 1515 : THE STAYS OF POPE LEO X