It dates back to the 16th century and was rebuilt after the earthquakes of 1918-19. According to a legend, it was built on the spot where the crucifix from the Church of Ridracoli was discovered, dragged downstream by a violent flood of the Bidente river.
Among the historical buildings of Piazza Matteotti stands the small Oratory of the S.S. Crocifisso (Holy Crucifix), also known as the Gonfalone. The religious building, of 16th-century origin, was rebuilt after the earthquakes of 1918-19. A hospital was attached to it in 1598.
The very simple and unadorned façade appears incomplete, mainly due to the lack of capitals at the end of the pilasters. Inside the church there is a 15th century wooden crucifix that, according to tradition, was carried by a flood of the Bidente river to the place where the oratory was later built. On the right wall there is a Pietà by the Florentine painter Giuseppe Bezzuoli (1784 – 1855), a leading artist of Tuscan Romantic painting.
Entrance fee: Free entrance
How to get there: Santa Sofia is about 40 km from Forlì, along the Bidente Provincial Road 4. The oratory is in the centre of the town.
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