Minerbio

Between the Navile canal and the Idice stream, Minerbio is a town of Roman origin in the Bologna Plain that probably takes its name from the goddess Minerva.

The urban structure still retains the Roman layout in the parallel streets typical of the castrum. The structure was then influenced by the medieval period, still recognizable in some buildings such as the gateway to the village and the tower.
Today the historic centre winds around the complex of the majestic Rocca Isolani, a historic residence from the 1300s embellished with frescoes and decorations by the painter Amico Aspertini, which can only be visited during the Sagra Settembrina (September Festival).

Next to the fortress stands the Palazzo Nuovo, the work of the architect Bartolomeo Triachini in the mid-sixteenth century, followed by the elegant Torre Colombaia (Dovecote Tower), attributed to Jacopo Barozzi, known as Vignola.
Amid the streets of the town, you can also see the eighteenth-century Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista (San Giovanni Battista Church), built in the 18th century, by architect Carlo Francesco Dotti, famous for having also designed the Santuario della Madonna di San Luca (Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca) in Bologna.

The hamlet of San Martino di Soverzano is home to the Castello di San Martino in Soverzano (Castle of San Martino in Soverzano), built in 1411 by Bartolomeo Manzoli. It was remodelled in the nineteenth century by Rubbiani in neo-Gothic style. Today it can only be visited during the October Fair.