Things to see and do Bertinoro

Piazza della Libertà is the heart of the village. It is dominated by the Cathedral, refurbished in the 16th century, the Municipal Palace, dating from 1306, the Civic Tower and the Column of Hospitality. From the square you then take the Via Mainardi and walk along the old Jewish ghetto where a plaque commemorates Ovadyah Yare, a 15th century scholar and rabbi from Bertinoro. You can continue on the medieval via dei Santi to the Porta dei Tre Santi. Don't miss via delle Mura and the torrione San Giuseppe.

Erected around the year 1000 on the top of the Bertinoro hill, La Rocca welcomed Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in 1177, who stayed there for several months with his retinue. In the 16th century, when Bertinoro became the seat of a bishopric (and remained so until 1970 when the diocese was united with that of Forli), the Rocca was converted into a residence for bishops. Today it is a university centre attached to the University of Bologna. Its undergroundgalleries house the Museo Interreligioso, dedicated to the three monotheistic religions.

The Torre dell'Orologio is a historic monument in Bertinoro's Piazza della Libertà. This ancient medieval tower was once much taller and also served as a lighthouse for sailors. In 1599, its height was halved and a Baroque-style bell tower was added. In 1789, a wrought-iron balcony and a niche for the terracotta statue of the Madonna del Lago, patroness of Bertinoro, were built. In 1816, a disciplinary cell was built under the tower, which over time became a café and then the fire department headquarters. In 1934, the tower was restored along with the façade of the town hall, and the 17th-century clock was replaced by the one seen today, which was also moved to the side of the tower. The bells that still mark time bear the date of amalgamation in 1516, as well as the town's coat of arms and the image of the Madonna del Lago.