Sasso Mobile

Located in the heart of Crespellano, Palazzo Garagnani, originally the property of the Bentivoglio family and subsequently belonging to the family of Senator Grassi, was known as “the castle,” since it was thought to have been built on the site where the Crespellano castle once stood. This belief has been called into question because of a drawing of the palace dated 1578, showing it in late 16th century style, not much different from its present appearance: the tower had already been converted to a dovecote, with three storeys of semi-circular arches on the left side of its two-storey frame. The palace, subject to frequent modifications over the centuries and severely damaged in World War II bombing raids, was purchased by the Garagnani family in 1813. The rooms of the palace are laid out along both sides of a central loggia on the ground floor, where a grand, double staircase with allegorical statues decorating its bannister leads to the upper floor. The interior walls display a number of 19th century frescoes, mostly depicting woodland scenes or other landscapes populated by mythological or allegorical characters, one of which has been attributed to Scorzoni. Although the Garagnani family still partly own the palace, the portion of it purchased by the local administration has been turned into a cultural center.