Rocchetta Mattei

Cesare Mattei began building in 1850 on a hill in the Apennines and kept altering it until his death in 1896, producing a building with a Moorish courtyard modelled loosely on the Alhambra, a chapel copying Córdoba's mosque arches, mock-medieval towers and staircases that lead nowhere in particular. He invented electrohomeopathy, a system of remedies he sold across Europe with considerable commercial success; Dostoevsky mentions it in The Brothers Karamazov. Patients came to the castle for treatment. After decades of decay it was bought by a local bank foundation, restored, and opened to guided visits in 2015.

History

The first stone was laid on 5 November 1850, and by 1859 the castle was habitable and became the permanent home of Count Cesare Mattei, the founder of electrohomeopathy, who lived there like a medieval lord with a court and even a jester. In 2006 the Cassa di Risparmio foundation of Bologna bought it, restored it and reopened it to the public on 9 August 2015 (Wikipedia, Rocchetta Mattei).

What to look for

• The Moorish courtyard - arches loosely modelled on the Alhambra.
• The chapel - striped arches copying the Córdoba mosque.
• The invented plan - towers, stairs and rooms with no consistent logic.
• The Mattei story - a self-taught count who sold remedies across Europe.

When to go

April to October; tours run mainly at weekends and must be booked, with limited places. Winter opening is reduced or suspended. Allow about ninety minutes.

What to expect

Entry is only by booked guided tour on set days and slots go quickly. There are many stairs and no lift. The road up is narrow with small parking.

Nearby

Bologna lies northeast; the Apennine ridge runs south.

Key facts