The medieval town of Savignano is of great historical and architectural interest. Thanks to a conservation project in the 1980s and 90s, today it is one of the most fascinating towns in the province of Modena.

There are several pooints of interest in the town. Amongst these, is Piazza Zanantoni, where the Fossa Castellana used to pass until 1922, the Oratorio di San Rocco, which was built to avert the plague of 1631 and “Casa di Matilde”, a building in which, according to legend, Matilde di Canossa used to stay.

Another stop-off is, “Casa del Capitano”, also called, “del Vescovo” (House of the Captain or Bishop”) where they are restoring traces of frescoes. One of these frescoes includes the family emblem of the Contrari, the family that conquered Signoria di Savignano in 1409 (the incident is commemorated every year during the historical demonstration, “The battle for the Contrari Sword”).

Finally, some sculptures by Giuseppe Graziosi, the famous sculptor of Savignano, are said to characterise the town itself. In addition to the Compianto in the parochial church, there is a statue in bronze of the Redeemer beside the family tomb and a monument to the Fallen in the First World War in the area opposite the cemetery which bear the sculptor’s signature.

The Castle of Savignano

In the town, you will find the Castle, known from 1026, whose structure is dominated by a stone tower. At one time, it had a drawbridge as its entrance. On the tower, there is a fresco from the 1600’s depicting the Madonna with child.

According to some studies, the castle’s original structure with its rhomboidal plan, stood on the summit of the hill and was extended and fortified with three sets of walls and towers. Here, the Chiesa Parrocchiale di Santa Maria Assunta still stands, dating to the medieval period and reconstructed in the 1700s.