Abbazia di San Mercuriale

The abbey is named after San Mercuriale, the first bishop of Forlì, and stands on the site of an older church destroyed by fire in 1173. The Romanesque reconstruction in brick dates from the late 12th century; the bell tower, about 75 metres high, was completed in 1180 and is one of the tallest in Italy. For the people of Forlì it is simply 'il campanile', the silhouette you can see from across the plain.

In the lunette above the portal there is an early 13th-century relief attributed to the circle of Benedetto Antelami, depicting the Dream and Adoration of the Magi: it is one of the finest pieces of Romanesque sculpture in Romagna. Inside, the three naves hold works by Marco Palmezzano, the great Renaissance painter from Forlì, and the funerary monument to Barbara Manfredi, wife of Pino Ordelaffi, sculpted in the 15th century.

Next to the church stands the cloister of the old Vallombrosan monastery, now open onto the square. From there you understand how the abbey was the religious and civic heart of the city: the square around it, which today bears the name of Aurelio Saffi, grew up around it.

The church is open every day and admission is free. The bell tower can only be climbed on a few feast days: if you happen to be in Forlì on 4 February (Madonna del Fuoco) or 26 October (San Mercuriale), don't miss the view from the top.