Palazzo Rasponi in central Ravenna.

Palazzo Rasponi in central Ravenna. Hotels near Palazzo Rasponi.

Photo: 1)Palazzo Rasponi dalle Teste, Kennedy square,2)Palazzo Rasponi Murat, Kennedy square,3)The Baroque portal of Palazzo Rasponi dalle Teste, piazza Kennedy, 4)Detail of the lion's heads and the "claws" that adorn the windows,5)The symbol on Palazzo Rasponi Murat, piazza Kennedy,6)Palazzo Rasponi on via Massimo d'Azeglio,7)View from the Garden of Palazzo Rasponi Murat,on via Guerrini, 8)Palazzo Rasponi Murat, overlooking via Guerrini

Amongst the numerous town residence of the Rasponi family and its various branches, we can cite three buildings that overlook the current piazza Kennedy.

The Rasponi family, present in Ravenna since at least the XIII century, in fact dominated the political and economic life of the town between the 16th and 19th century.

They formed one of the twelve families, which owned over 50% of the local landed estates, in  a communal territory that extended for about 60,000 hectares, despite the fact that at least half of the same consisted of uncultivated land, swamps, forests, beaches, unproductive lands that could only be used as pastureland.

During the first decades of consolidation of Papal domination the Rasponi acquired power and dominance by force and cruel means.

Francesco Guicciardini, who was the president of Romagna between 1524- 1526, wrote that "the Ghibellini factions are headed by the Rasponi ... who in Ravenna are much respected and feared, to such an extent that a change or any accident could cause much damage"

The wealth and power of the Rasponi family is evident from the appearance of the palazzo that overlooks the square, and which is the most elegant of the town, embellished by an ornate Baroque portal.

It was built in the early 18th century and was known as "dalle Teste" as a bandaged negro head and a lion decorate the windows, together with a series of intertwined lions paws, showing their claws, which were the "rasponi".

In front of the palazzo, in the area that is today occupied by the square, is a vast private garden that extended to the side of palazzo Rasponi Murat, which appears to be a gloomy fortress, accentuated by the deep barbicans of the cornice and its etched base. It was built in the XV century by the powerful Balbi family, but as the result of marriage it ended up in the hands of the Rasponi.

In 1825 Giulio Rasponi married Luisa Murat, the daughter of the queen of Naples, from which the name of the branch derived. The count having had the nuptial apartment decorated by neo-classical artists such as: Agricola, Pelagi, Minardi, G.B. Barbiani.

The taste is impeccable and the painting of Wicar and Nenci still remain. The palazzo still conserves halls with relics dating back to the Napoleonic era, and it was the meeting place of liberal and Jacobean conspirators.

During the last quarter s the 18th century it was owned by count Marco Fantuzzi, who extended it and also re-arranged the nearby garden (which is today known as the Garden of  the Erbe Dimenticate (Forgotten herbs), the work being commissioned to architect Camillo Morigia and embellished with rare plants and fragrant herbs.
 

At the side of palazzo Rasponi dalle Teste, another Rasponi building overlooks via D'Azeglio, the current day appearance being the result of work planned by Morigia in 1789: the ornamental work of the cornice being reminiscent of that of modern- day public schools.

From 1865 to 1987 this palazzo was the seat of the Ravenna law court. In the rooms that hosted the law court there are still panels produced by Felice Giani and his workshop.

Prof. Gianni Morelli, Anna Missiroli

The pleasure of fine accommodation in the centre of Ravenna: we recommend the Fabbri hotels for a pleasant stay as follows:

The Centrale Byron Hotel, 3-star hotel in the centre of Ravenna, close to the main momuments;

The Bisanzio Hotel, 4-star hotel in the centre of Ravenna, close to the main momuments;

Once you have reached the hotel and parked your car, forget it and walk everywhere, because everything is within walking distance. 


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