Dozza

Since 1960 Dozza has run the Biennale del Muro Dipinto, inviting artists to paint murals on the facades of houses in the village, with residents agreeing to give up their walls; more than a hundred works now cover the streets, in styles ranging from figurative to abstract, and older ones are documented as they fade or are replaced. The Sforza fortress at the top of the village holds the Enoteca Regionale dell'Emilia-Romagna in its cellars, a public showcase of wines from across the region. The fortress itself keeps furnished rooms, kitchens and a dungeon.

History

Dozza is known for its festival of the painted wall, held every two years in September, and its castle was once given to Cardinal Campeggio while he was dealing with the "King's Great Matter", Henry VIII's divorce (Wikipedia, Dozza).

The main sights

• The painted walls - over a hundred murals on private house facades.
• The biennial - artists invited to paint the village every two years.
• The Sforza fortress - furnished rooms, kitchens and a dungeon.
• The regional wine cellar - the Emilia-Romagna enoteca in the vaults.

When to go

April to October; the biennale falls in September of even years, when new works are painted in public. Otherwise the murals are visible at any time.

Before you go

The village is very small, walked in under an hour. Some murals are weathered or faded. The enoteca keeps its own hours separate from the fortress.

Nearby

Imola lies east; Bologna is west.

Key facts