Oriolo is a small village located on the first hills, 8 kilometres from Faenza. The village is dominated by the Torre di Oriolo tower, the main part of the Fortress built by the Manfredi's in 1476.
Additional notes: The Oriolo zone was already inhabited and cultivated in Roman times, but it became important only during the Middle Ages when it was fortified by the Archbishop of Ravenna. During the Renaissance the fortress was purchased by Carlo II Manfredi, an aristocrat of Faenza, who had it rebuilt in 1476. The result of this reconstruction is still evident: a hexagonal plan tower with two right angles, a feature that makes it unique in Italy. It is 18 metres high and has five floors, of which two are below ground, all joined by a spiral staircase. Inside there are three main halls: the food deposit in the basement, the armoury on the ground floor, at the entrance and the lord of the castle's hall on the upper floor; there are also various firing posts. On the upper floor is the gun powder storage room and the weapons room and finally the terrace or deck, that originally was crenellated and covered. After a period of abandonment and of alternating good and bad fortune that had brought about its decline, in 1823 it was turned into a country residence by the new owners, the Caldesi family. In 1983 Carlo Caldesi donated the fortress and the surrounding area to the Municipality of Faenza. Since 1995, following the necessary consolidation and restoration work, the specially formed association for the Torre di Oriolo tower has been guaranteeing the maintenance of the park, also making sure that this historic monument remains open to the public. In the same year another association was formed: the Associazione Produttori della Torre di Oriolo - made up of the producers of the Torre di Oriolo area, such as farmers, artisans, restaurants and "agristurismo" country estates, which all aim at making the most of the territory and its typical products, also organising events, such as traditional, folk and country festivals.The Parco della Torre park (open during the summer: Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 2.30. p.m. to 6.30 p.m. or upon appointment by calling 0546642162) can boast of a unique combination of shrubs, ornamental and fruit plants. It is important to note the five pine trees planted by the Caldesi family, and that are a feature of this hill, providing a suggestive framework for the castle. In the area around it there are some circular paths along which it is possible to see historical, panoramic and naturalistic points of interest.
The area is also the site of important finds: in 1987 an important complete cranium of Mammuthus Meridionalis was found, now in the Civic Museum of Natural Science in Faenza.
Finally in the village you can visit the parish church dedicated to Sant'Apollinare, rebuilt in 1946 after bombings in the Second World War, which houses a valuable painting of the Madonna of the Rosary painted by Marcantonio Rocchetti in 1609.
Directions: From the motorway exit follow the signs for the centre of Faenza along via Granarolo. At the roundabout after crossing the railway overpass turn left into viale IV Novembre. At the second set of traffic lights turn right into via Mura Mittarelli. At the next set of traffic lights turn left (over the bridge crossing the Lamone river) and then immediately right into via U. Piazza, which follows into via Cimatti. Then turn right into via Santa Lucia and left into via San Mamante: via Oriolo is the third street on the right.
