The Rocca di Ravaldino, also known as the Rocca di Caterina Sforza, was one of Forlì’s defence sites throughout the Middle Ages.
In 1471, Pino III Ordelaffi commissioned the architect Giorgio Marchesi Fiorentino to build the still existing fortifications. In 1481, at the behest of the new Lord of Forli, Girolamo Riario, the so-called ‘Cittadella’ (Citadel) was built, with a quadrilateral plan, designed to house strong troops.
In 1496 Caterina Sforza, Girolamo Riario’s widow, promoted the construction of a residential palace, known as ‘Il Paradiso’ (Paradise) for its sumptuous appearance. The development of artillery and the radical change in the Italian political order led to the unstoppable degradation of the Rocca, which was used as a prison at the end of the 19th century.
A large coat of arms of the Borgia family is still visible on the south side of the Rocca, on the very spot where in 1500 Cesare Borgia made the breach that allowed him to conquer the fortress defended by Caterina Sforza.
How to get there:
Entrances from Via della Rocca and Via Giovanni delle Bande Nere, 1 On foot from Piazza Saffi walk along Corso Diaz to Via della Rocca. By car from Piazzale della Vittoria take Viale F. Corridoni as far as Via della Rocca. There is a free car park in Via Vincenzo Coronelli, a 3-minute walk from the Rocca.
Opening hours:
From Saturday 30th November 2024 to Saturday 15th February 2025: open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.;
holiday openings 26/12/2024, 1/1/2025, 6/1/2025, 4/2/2025;
closed 25/12/2024.
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