An idea of the Val di Zena Museum Park Association gave origin to the ‘Via del Fantini’ path, a cultural trail on the foothills of Bologna (about 50 km), starting from San Lazzaro di Savena to arrive to San Benedetto del Querceto (Monterenzio), crossing the whole Zena Valley, joining places of significant importance in the life of Luigi Fantini (1895-1978). Wonderful sites, both from landscaped and geological point of view, but also for archaeology, history and environment.
Fantini was a truly extraordinary character, a self-taught scholar, curious, tireless, a great lover of speleology, archaeology, geology, an excellent photographer and writer as well, he dedicated most of his life to explore the Bolognese Apennine territory, searching for geological "treasures". He liked to joke, calling himself the ’Ricercaro Appenninico’ (neologism for ‘Apennine Researcher’), while local people used to call him 'al mat di sas' (dialect for 'the madman of the stones').
In 1932, together with some friends, he founded the Bolognese Speleological Group, and with them he discovered and explored the Grotta della Spipola (Spipola Cave), which will prove to be one of the major European cavities in the gypsum, today one of the main attractions of the Parco dei Gessi Bolognesi e dei Calanchi dell'Abbadessa. With his studies and his research, he reconstructed the history and prehistory of the area. Zena Valley was his favourite place, and he was able to protect it from speculation linked to the quarries’ exploitation.
The Via del Fantini project aims to give the right emphasis to his history and to the places that were the scene of his activities, from the Parco dei Gessi and its caves, to his birthplace, to the enchanting landscapes of the Val di Zena and more. The Via Mater Dei runs along a stretch of this path, but it is really worth returning to these areas and walk it in its entirety.

For more information:
www.viadelfantini.it
www.parcomusealedellavaldizena.it

via di Riosto (Pianoro)

Enchanting hills embroidered with rows of vines and evocative gullies. Since the time of the Papal States the history of Riosto has been linked to a surprising wine production. The passionate Luigi Fantini also investigated the fruits of Bacchus and in 1961 discovered a centenary vine variety, later called "La Vite del Fantini". This variety is grown today in these areas for winemaking. Among the orderly cypresses and oak woods the remains of a church appear: an altar and the entrance portal hidden by nature.

“… A prayer for the dead of all wars”. This is written on the commemorative plaque on the Mater Pacis Altar, on top of the hill of Monte Calvo di Rastignano.

Here the 360-degree panorama embraces the Po Valley to the north with the Alps and the Adriatic Sea in the background, and the entire Tuscan-Emilian Apennine arc to the south, between the Shrine of the Beata Vergine di San Luca to the west and the Shrine of the Madonna del Monte delle Formtiche to the east. The view dominates the Savena Valley and the Contrafforte Pliocenico, right where the Second World War ‘Winter Line’ was. A part of the more famous Gothic Line, place of fierce fighting and bombing for the entire winter between 1944 and 1945: there were so many, that Pianoro earned the nickname of ‘Montecassino del Nord’ while the 98% of the buildings was completely destroyed.

An altar was placed in this extraordinary place, a stone brought from the nearby quarries of the Parco dei Gessi, to commemorate the dead of all wars, to entrust ourselves to Virgin Mary protection, She, the Mother of Him who "is our Peace" (Eph 2:14). This place was consecrated by Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna, on June 29 2020: it is the culminating point of the second leg of the Via Mater Dei and inspires the walker and pilgrim to reflect and pray, so that the heart of man, free from war barbarism, can harmonize with the beauty of nature and learn to gaze at the Sky first, and then look to the brother, with that maternal love which is always a source of life and never of hate and destruction.