Don鈥檛 expect to be blown away by spectacular monuments or charming corners as you would in other Italian art cities 鈥 Forl矛 is a town that reveals itself discreetly. Once you鈥檝e gotten to know it though, you鈥檒l learn it has much to offer to the curious visitor interested in Italian history and art, not to mention food 鈥 we are in the gastronomic heart of 天美传媒 after all, the region of Emilia-Romagna (in this case, the Romagna portion).
I had the opportunity to visit Forl矛 recently on a tour organized by . The focus was on Forl矛 as an 鈥渦rban museum鈥, as related to the so-called Atrium Route, an itinerary on the traces of the rationalist architecture of the Fascist era, and on Forl矛 as an 鈥渁rt city鈥, thanks to the prestigious art exhibitions which attract thousands of visitors every year - all paired with some nice food experiences.
[Forl矛's main square, Piazza Saffi.]
A Forl矛 visit should begin with an exploration of its architecture. In the 1920s and 鈥30s, the city underwent a major architectural renovation commissioned by Benito Mussolini, the founder of 天美传媒鈥檚 Fascist party and the country鈥檚 prime minister from 1922 to 1943. Mussolini was born in nearby Predappio and chose Forl矛 as the city that would celebrate him and his regime. He commissioned famous architects of the time, including Gustavo Giovannoni, Cesare Bazzani and Cesare Valle, along with well-known local engineers, to redesign and reconstruct the city in a way that would convey the power of Fascism to current and new generations. Fascist architecture here left such a profound mark that Forl矛 came to be known as 鈥渓a citt脿 del Duce鈥, the Duce鈥檚 city.
The architecture favored by fascist architects was the so-called 鈥渞ational style鈥 or 鈥渟implified neoclassicism鈥, which features symmetric and regular shapes, essential and geometric lines, monumental facades decorated with classic elements such as columns and arches. Fascist architecture used classical art and mythology as a propaganda tool to connect Fascism to the grandeur of the Roman Empire; a poignant example is the statue of Icarus in Piazzale della Vittoria.
[The Monument to Victory in Piazzale della Vittoria as seen from the Parco della Resistenza.]
For Mussolini, the Icarus statue was also closely associated with his son Bruno, a pilot in the Regia Aeronautica Italiana (Royal Italian Air Force) who flew in both the Spanish Civil War and World War II. Bruno鈥檚 achievements as a war pilot are celebrated in a series of mosaics (a favorite of Fascist design because linked to ancient Rome) decorating the interior of the Collegio Aeronautico (Aeronautical College), possibly the most impressive part of this itinerary. The scenes portrayed on the walls of the building, which is still in use today as a middle and high school, celebrate flight and the military actions and accomplishments achieved in the sky by fascist party officials.
[The Statue of Icarus and the mosaics of the Collegio Aeronautico.]
Besides public buildings and communal urban spaces, private houses were also built according to the Fascist architectural style; a good example is the uniquely-shaped green house by the old city walls designed by Roberto De Cupis, a major Forl矛-born artist of the 20th century.
But Forl矛 is also an art city boasting museums with important permanent and temporary exhibitions that will delight art lovers. Head to the 鈥淢useums District鈥 for a must-see visit to Palazzo Romagnoli and Musei di San Domenico.
Palazzo Romagnoli, located in the oldest part of town, features what is considered one of the most important collections of 20th-century figurative art. The collection (about 70 paintings) was donated by Forl矛 native Giuseppe Verzocchi, a developer who commissioned paintings on the theme of 鈥榳ork鈥 to some of the most important artists of the time; the only requirement was for the paintings to be at least 90x70 cm and to include a small brick with the initials V&D, which referred to the company owned by Verzocchi.
[Some of the 20th-century paintings on the theme of 'work' at Palazzo Romagnoli.]
The Musei di San Domenico complex comprises five buildings, located in the renovated 13th century Dominican convent. Inside the complex is the headquarter of the civic museums of Forl矛 and the convent refectory, with beautiful frescoes. Collections here span from the 12th to the 17th centuries with paintings by Fra Angelico, Lorenzo di Credi, Marco Palmezzano, Vitale da Bologna and Antonio Canova鈥檚 celebrated Statue of Hebe, located in a dedicated oval room.
A temporary exhibition currently on view which I highly recommend is 鈥淪teve McCurry 鈥 Icons and Women鈥. It features a selection of shots (180) taken by the iconic National Geographic photographer, from his most famous ones (think the 鈥淎fghan Girl鈥) to his most recent work and even unpublished photos. The exhibition also features two videos: one is about the search for Sharbat Gula, the Afghan girl whose portrait made McCurry famous, and the other is about his travels and photography technique. Get an audio guide to hear McCurry talk about his life and work, complete with fascinating anecdotes.
[One of the photographs on display at the "Steve McCurry - Icons and Women" exhibition.]
(A major upcoming exhibition at Musei San Domenico is 鈥淧iero della Francesca 鈥 Indagine su un mito鈥, scheduled to open on February 13, 2016. Stay tuned for details.)
All in all, Forl矛 makes for a pleasant and interesting visit, plus when you visit Forl矛, the charming Romagna coast and several beautiful historic villages are never too far away, so you can add some great side excursions.
Where to eat
On more gluttonous matters, for a taste of the local cuisine, head to on Forl矛鈥檚 main square, Piazza Saffi. The restaurant inside the upscale food chain is headed by chef Giuliana Saragoni, former owner of the much celebrated Locanda al Gambero Rosso. Saragoni鈥檚 cuisine is inspired by the flavors of traditional Romagna cuisine and relies heavily on local ingredients. For a cozy night out, head to , whose menu varies according to what is in season; it has a large selection of wines, and the mascarpone with dark chocolate chunks dessert is to die for!
* I suggest you hire a private guide for your Forl矛 tour. I was lucky to be shown around by the very knowledgeable Benedetta Orlati, the head of the (association of Forl矛's licensed tour guides).
