Distance: Km 20
Estimated time: 5 h
Departure: Madonna del Bosco in Alfonsine
Arrival: Bagnacavallo
Description of the stage
You are in front of the shrine of madonna del bosco on via raspona, continue paying attention for 700 meters until you reach the fornazzo street on your left.
Always on raspona street and looking to the left you will see where the sanctuary was originally located
Turn into the fornazzo street and go straight ahead 
Here we are at a small detour the church now fallen in via fornazzo you will find the owner of the land that at first glance will be a bit restive but then will tell you what you want to know
After visiting the church, turn right following the road or if you prefer the Senio river bank which will remain on your left
This is a village called cavallotti where at the time of the Second World War it was a shelter for soldiers because at the end of the Senio there was a front
We arrived at Alfonsine suburbs or even suburbs fratti
Direction crossing at the level of the royal road always straight
Arrived here cross the royal and follow the riverbank until the first bridge cross it and you will find yourself in the center of Alfonsine “old”
go straight to the buildings on your left are the only thing left by the war date back to 800
Here we are now in the reddish direction you have the embankment to your right go straight
Arrived in rossetta after the inter-communal swimming pool always straight
Here we are at the end of the crossroads with Via Bellaria that will take you to the entrance of the bike path towards Bagnacavallo
Here we are at the beginning of via bellaria continue straight
Always straight towards via naviglio
Here we are at the entrance of the cycle path towards Bagnacavallo.
Reached the town of Bagnacavallo continue to the center towards the church of San Michele which is located in the main square. To get to the church of San Pietro in Silvis continue along via Mazzini after the Carmine church, then take via Ramenghi and you will arrive at the church of San Francesco. Take Via Oberdan and at the end of the street there will be the Memorial of the Fallen, turn left into Via Garibaldi, cross the intersection with the traffic light to take via Pieve-Masiera up to the roundabout where on the right you will see the church of San Pietro in Silvis.
Interesting sites
The sanctuary of the Madonna del Bosco (18th century)
Detail of the map No. 573 of the Ravenna Municipal Historical Archive (year 1750-70)
How we began to venerate the S Image
In the territory of Alfonsine, on the Raspona road, about three hundred meters from the right bank of the river Reno, also called Po di Primario, there is a church that until 1926 was a simple oratory; but with a decree dated February 17, 1926, it was erected as a parish church. Two thousand years ago this place was part of a vast lagoon area, called Padusa, where ponds, valleys and swamps alternated, with islands filled with forests, and waterfowl and forest birds in the evening brought you down to sleep making you hear a high clamor, as Virgil sang in the Aeneid (xi, 455-458).
This part of the Padusa was reclaimed very late. At the beginning of the eighteenth century the noble family of Ravenna of the Marquises Spreti owned an estate called Raspona, where there remained a wood called the Alfonsine wood. In the early days of April 1714 trees were cut in this wood. For misfortune it happened that a tree, to which the roots had been cut, fell and hit a farmer who died instantly. The date of the funeral was 10 April 1714. The minister of the Marquises Spreti wanted to put a sacred image in the place where that misfortune had taken place thus keeping to the costumanza of placing a cross or an image of the SS. Virgin in the places where someone was killed or for some incidence there was death. This image was contained in a small bas-relief ceramic panel with double octagonal frame; The Virgin was depicted sitting there with the baby in her arms, just covered with a bandage on her loins, and the Mother with a flower-patterned cloak and crowned like a child. April 10 was hung on a tree near the place of misfortune. As soon as the painting was placed on that tree, the women who went to make firewood in the wood, began to venerate that image S stopping to recite rosaries and other prayers. Many were the graces that the devoted people received species for healings of diseases. (1)
The first image revered in the sanctuary of the Madonna del Bosco Relief ceramic decorated on majolica, before 1714.
The construction of the church
Execution of the Rome decree, with permission of the Card. Piazza Vescovo di Faenza, dates 17 September 1718. Taking advantage of the alms collected, he put himself hand, from 23 June of the aforesaid year, to the construction of an elegant octagonal church, in a large shelf to the right of the shore of the Po di Primaro, and about a quarter of a mile away from the tree on which it had been hanging up until then. On November 21, 1720, with an infinite competition of people and solemn pomp, Mons. Masseti blessed the new church, naming it to Our Lady of the Snow; then lifted the Holy Image from the tree and carried it in procession, placed it on the altar that stood alone in the temple, where with elegant work of stuccos around the picture of the Madonna was figured the ancient tree, the devout pastors and farmers, with the flocks and herds, which already came to the BV to receive graces. On 17 January 1721 the church had its complete fulfillment both outside and inside. Only in 1748 was the bell tower annexed to the comfortable residence of the Cappellani, already erected with the church. In the place where the image of the Blessed Virgin had been, a pillar was erected, on which the following inscription was engraved on marble:
SISTE-VIATOR ET- LOCUM-SUSPICE QUO- PRIMUM-B-VIRGO NUNCUPATA-DEL BOSCO MIRC’ULIS- CLARUIT TEMPLUM- INDE NON- PROCUL- VENERATURUS IN- QUOD-TRANSLATA SOLEMNI-CULTU- SOLEMNIORI DEVOTIONE- DIE XXI- NOVEMBRISANNO- MCDDXX
Translation:
Stop or traveler, – and look at the place- where firstly the Blessed Virgin- said of the Wood- had splendor by miracles- then you will go to venerate- in the temple not far- where it was transferred- with solemn pomp- and more solemn manifestation- November 21st 1720
This is the oldest photo of the first church of the Madonna del Bosco
The church was built at the strategic point of passage beyond the Po di Primaro. Here the river before 1780 deviated sharply to the left (today remains the ancient river in the road that goes up to Anita, after the tavern of the bridge). There was the so-called ‘Pass’ with the ferry boat that put Longastrino and Filo in communication with Alfonsine and Ravenna, (hence the name of the locality called ‘Passetto’). There was therefore an important flow of people and therefore the temple was built here near the road and at the pass. People were therefore induced to stop in prayer. (2)
(1) Storia del Culto della Madonna del Bosco 10 aprile 1714- 10 aprile 2014
(2) Siti Web – http:alfonsinemonamour ra.it/alfonsine.racine.
LA MAPPA DEL PERCORSO
Scarica il file kmz apribile con google earth
