Embedded in the cobbles - where the via Appia and via Mazzini intersect, almost in the shadow of the municipal clock tower - is a large diamondshaped stone: it marks the exact centre of ancient Roman Imola, the crossroads of the decumanus maximus and cardo maximus. It’s the ideal point from which to begin discovering the town, taking an itinerary that starts beneath the medieval vaulted ceilings of the Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall) and continues beneath the elegant colonnades that flank Piazza Matteotti: colours and materials are those of Romagna tradition, the warm red of terracotta and the delicate yellow of sandstone.
A short distance from the piazza stands one of the most beautiful 18th century buildings in Imola, Palazzo Tozzoni. Donated to the city intact with its furnishings and the family art collection, it is now a splendid civic museum.
Continuing along via Garibaldi you come to the Cathedral of San Cassiano, on the right. A little further on comes the town’s symbol, the Rocca Sforzesca, a splendid example of military architecture between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
The town centre, however, reserves many surprises: at its heart stand the old convent complexes of S. Francesco and S. Domenico, the Museo e Pinacoteca Diocesani e delle Carrozze (Diocesan and Carriage Museum and Art Gallery), the old Farmacia dell’Ospedale (Hospital Pharmacy) and beautiful stately buildings with colonnaded courtyards, spectacular stairways and elegant frescoed ceilings.
La città di Imola è famosa in tutto il mondo per il suo circuito, l'Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, che dal 1953 ospita i grandi eventi del motorsport.
Remember, Imola is also the gateway to Romagna, which means that any historical-cultural tour simply has to be accompanied by an itinerary for the tastebuds, giving visitors the opportunity to discover the local delights of cappelletti, garganelli, tagliatelle, friggione, piadina, ciambella, ravioli and the excellent Colli d’Imola wines.
