Arch to the borgo

To access Piazza Roma you pass underneath an arch, the ‘gateway’ to the town of Fontanelice. It was erected to replace two medieval gates (a pedestrian one and a wider one) that once granted access to the old castle but, over time, proved to be impractical for the passage of goods carts.

So in 1826 the council decided to demolish the old gates and construct a new entranceway to the borgo. It is commonly believed that the arch was designed by Luigi Zampa. However, he may not have been the first to propose changes to the castle gate. On further investigation, a municipal engineer from Imola, Vincenzo Luigi Baruzzi, appears to have played a decisive role throughout its planning and execution. However, the original drawings of the arch - which should be able to resolve the enigma - have mysteriously disappeared from the state archives in Ravenna.