Vimignano-la Scola

In a village with a thousand-year history 

La Scola, a small village in the Vimignano area, in the Grizzana Morandi municipality, on the hills of Bologna, boasts a thousand-year history dating back to the 6th century AD, when the territory was under control of the Lombards, right on the border with the Exarchate of Ravenna. Used for defensive purposes until the Middle Ages, the village is in excellent state of preservation, its earliest 13th-century buildings are all still completely intact. 

Among the main points of interest are the entrance arch, one of the most photographed sites by visitors, the 1616 Oratory of San Pietro, once religious and social life hub, and Tuscan-style Casa Parisi, which belonged to the most important family in the area. 

The village is perfect to explore on foot. During a pleasant walk, you may come across the over 700-year-old monumental cypress tree. A full 25 metres high, it boasts the title of 'national alborean monument' since 2006. Its longevity is also due to the particular climate of the village with unusually high temperatures even in winter. 

The village, which has been subject to town planning and architectural restrictions since the 1970s, is freely accessible all year round, but the best time to visit is from April to October, also for the absence of fog on the road.