Monuments
Piazza Saffi
The meeting point of Forlì's four main streets, this trapezoid-shaped square is one of the largest in Italy and the centre of the town's political and social life.
Piazza Saffi is the heart of Forlì and one of the largest squares in Italy. It is lined with the town's most significant civic and religious buildings, including the Palazzo Comunale, the Palazzo delle Poste and the Abbazia di San Mercuriale. The square is the meeting point of Forlì's four main streets, has a trapezoid shape and its centre holds a white marble monument to Aurelio Saffi, a Forlì-born figure of note in the Italian Risorgimento.
Good to know
- Before the monument to Aurelio Saffi, unveiled in 1921, the square had two other monuments: the Colonna della Madonna del Fuoco and the Crocetta, erected to celebrate the victory over the Franco-Guelph troops sent by the Pope in 1282. Dante also recounts the episode, describing it as a “sanguinoso mucchio” (bloody heap) in Inferno, XXVII, 43-44.
- Aurelio Saffi (Forlì, 1819-1890) is considered the political heir of Giuseppe Mazzini.
- During the Second World War, English troops renamed the square Saint Andrew Square.
photo credits - Archivio del Comune di Forlì, Luca Massari
More monuments in Forli
Abbazia di San MercurialeThis abbey is the symbol of Forlì. Built in the 12th century, it takes its name from Mercuriale, the town's first bishop.Read more
Cattedrale di Santa CroceThe Cattedrale di Santa Croce is the cathedral of Forlì, seat of the Diocese of Forlì-Bertinoro and of the town’s bishop; construction dates back to the 10th...Read more
Palazzo del MerendaPalazzo del Merenda was built in 1722. It is a stately residence housing the Biblioteca Comunale “Aurelio Saffi”, the Armeria Albicini and the Museo...Read more
Palazzo delle PosteThe Palazzo was commissioned by the Mussolini government and built between 1931 and 1932. It is a perfect example of how Fascism reshaped urban spaces and the...Read more
Palazzo RomagnoliDevoted to 20th-century art, this collection was donated to the town by the Forlì-born entrepreneur Giuseppe Verzocchi. Palazzo Romagnoli holds paintings by De...Read more