The park is one of the most popular in the city due to the exceptional landscape in which it is located, the richness of the environment, and the views of Bologna... #tuttitaly
The Villa Ghigi Park, open to the public since 1974, recalls the last private owners in the name. It is just 2 km from Piazza Maggiore, on the first hills south of Bologna.
The nineteenth-century Villa Ghigi is located in the center of the park, in a panoramic position over the city.
The first news about the place dates back to 1520 when it belonged to the Volta family.
In 1874 the property was purchased by the lawyer of Ravenna origin, Callisto Ghigi, and remained with the family until 1972. One of Callisto's sons, Alessandro, had cultivated the vocation of a naturalist from childhood; he was the founder and reference point of associations and institutes for studying and conserving fauna and flora, considered among the forerunners of nature protection in Italy.
On the death of Alessandro Ghigi in 1970, the heirs sold the villa and part of the land to the Municipality of Bologna.
The villa has no longer been inhabited and is in a state of neglect today.
On the other hand, the adjacent caretaker's house has been partially restored and opened as a refreshment point.
In addition to the Villa and the caretaker's house, the park includes the colonial nuclei of the Palazzino, the seat of the Villa Ghigi Foundation, and the Becco.
The Villa Ghigi Foundation manages the park directly. It has launched a restoration and enrichment program to make it a place increasingly rich in biodiversity, frequented for educational, social, and cultural experiences.
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