Villa Laderchi called “Rotonda”
The route begins at Villa Laderchi also known as Villa Rotonda. Commissioned by Count Achille Laderchi and built by Giovanni Antonio Antolini in 1798 in neoclassical style, it has become famous for its particular semicircular facade. The villa also has a large English-style garden, there are some artificial rock conformations containing, in some cases, quite rare fossils.
Via Rio Biscia – Rio Biscia bridge
From the Manfrediani Statutes dated 1414, we learn that the waters of the Rio Biscia – coming from the hill of Castel Raniero – fed the canal called Cerchia. This canal represented one of the external defense works of the city, on the side of Castel Bolognese. Its route, now completely sealed, follows the current via Graziola, Risorgimento, Piero della Francesca, San Silvestro, Armandi, flowing into the Lamone river downstream of the city, at the bridge known as the Bambocce.
Curiosity…
In this area it is possible to find the Ailanthus; an exotic tree of Chinese origin imported to Italy between the 18th and 19th centuries. To overcome the shortage of silkworms, a butterfly was imported from China, which ate the leaves of Ailanthus and produced a slightly lower quality silk.
