The restoration of the Rocca di Dozza: the rediscovered Hall of Arms and Great Hall

With the interventions held between 2022 and 2024, the restoration of the Hall of Arms (Sept. 12, 2022) and the Great Hall (March 27, 2024) of the Rocca in the village of Dozza, positioned in the territory between Imola and Bologna, were completed.

The intervention was made possible thanks to a grant of 63,315.00 euros provided by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Imola, the Emilia-Romagna Region (for the restoration of the Hall of Arms), Tiziano Grandi (for the restoration of the Great Hall) and other patrons through theArt Bonus mechanism, with the Dozza City of Art Foundation as the beneficiary entity. Excavation and restoration operations were carried out by the company BioRes Restauri s.n.c., which is active in the Bologna area and several cities in Emilia-Romagna.

Nestled in the hilly landscape of the Sellustra valley, the village of Dozza retains the grace and all the characteristics of a particularly active medieval past. The town, with its characteristic spindle shape, spreads along narrow streets that lead up to the Rocca Sforzesca, an imposing building with a centuries-old history. Built in 1250 by the Municipality of Bologna, enlarged in 1310 by Romeo Pepoli and later modified by Caterina Sforza into a fortified castle, the Rocca was later transformed into a stately residence at the behest of the Bolognese senatorial Campeggi and Malvezzi families. Today it is presented as a house museum (purchased by the municipality with the support of the Province of Bologna) divided into different visiting routes: medieval and Renaissance fortress, Renaissance residence and 18th-century residence. Its interior preserves a fine picture gallery, furnishings and historical objects that belonged to the Malvezzi Campeggi family.

The Great Hall: history and restoration work

Beginning in 1554, the existence of this hall is attested in documents, albeit with architectural features different from those of today. At that time, there were only two windows and two doors there, elements that suggest a Renaissance layout. Both the staircase with direct access to the hall and the large east-facing French window were missing, elements that were introduced later: the former during the transformations desired by the Campeggi counts, the latter during the seventeenth-century interventions for the enlargement of the Sala Maggiore, probably at the behest of Tommaso Campeggi, Marquis of Dozza from 1643 to 1689. The 1795 inventory describes the hall with a configuration already very similar to the present one. The walls housed eight portraits of the Malvezzi family and four full-length papal effigies. The furnishings included six chests of drawers, a sideboard located under a red cloth antependium embroidered with yellow satin motifs and the coat of arms of the Malvezzi Campeggi family (still visible today at the entrance), and a cycloid clock. Red cloth doors with gold friezes hung from the doors, while the French window was screened by a large yellow curtain.

Over time, however, the surfaces of the Great Hall located on the main floor of the Rocca di Dozza have suffered deterioration of various kinds. Cracks of varying degrees compromised the pictorial film, while traces of previous restoration and stratigraphic essays revealed pictorial overlays. The two windows showed infiltration of meteoric water from outside, resulting in plaster swelling, fractures and loss of material. In some areas, restoration work done with cement mortar could be identified. The conservative restoration, conducted between 2023 and 2024, restored the hall to its original value, preserving its character as a representative environment and protecting the artworks housed inside. The intervention included a detailed stratigraphic investigation of the vaulted surfaces and walls, followed by cleaning and consolidation of gaps and fractures, both structural and pictorial. Four portraits with gilded frames were restored, depicting Count Matteo Malvezzi, his sons Antonio and Emilio and the latter’s wife, Teresa, works by Felice Torelli dating from around 1711. Careful maintenance also involved the large 17th-century banner with the Malvezzi Campeggi family coat of arms, the fixtures and the lighting system, the latter of which was redesigned to improve the aesthetic enhancement and usability of the space.

“The conservation work on the Great Hall made possible an in-depth study of the architectural surfaces, driven by historical sources that document structural changes over the centuries,” say BioRes Restauri technicians. “Prior to the restoration, a campaign of stratigraphic investigations was carried out on the vault and wall surfaces to identify any traces of pictorial decoration. The main motivation for this study was the presence of valuable artistic decorations in less relevant rooms of the Rocca, so how could a room such as the Great Hall of the Rocca Sforzesca in Dozza, an environment of a certain ”social representation“ of the Campeggi - Malvezzi family, be totally devoid of decorative apparatus? Investigations revealed that the vault had been restored recently, probably in the 1960s, while the walls showed plugging and a complex layering of paints, with the rediscovery of an ancient wainscoting. A fragment of ancient plaster was used to choose the final colors, from which several samples were developed and approved by the Superintendence.”

The Hall of Arms: recovery and refitting

Originally used as a guest quarters, the Hall of Arms took its current configuration in the 19th century. Over time, the room suffered numerous damages, including cracks in the walls, plaster detachment and color alterations due to humidity. The restoration, completed in 2022, consolidated the structure, recovered the wooden coffered ceiling, and restored the pictorial surfaces. After the restoration, the room was refitted with original furnishings that belonged to the Malvezzi-Campeggi family, including chests, a chest, family portraits, and some firearms specimens from the 19th century. Prominent among them is a weapon of North African origin, probably the oldest piece in the collection. The arrangement of the objects is designed to give visitors a clear and educational view of the evolution of weapons over time, enriching the museum experience with historical details about their function and origin.

“For the Hall of Arms,” the restoration company continues, “ the restoration required a delicate intervention of consolidation of the exfoliated pictorial film, performed promptly to avoid the loss of extensive portions of the decoration. Finally, the cleaning required several preliminary tests with rigid agar gels and solvents to treat the chromatic alterations present. The restoration was an opportunity to review and plan an upgrade of the lighting system in order to make it more functional to the needs that today must meet a representative environment such as the Great Hall, which hosts celebrations, events, conferences and exhibitions, as well as being the heart of the museum itinerary. In addition, the new installation allows the great paintings displayed on the walls to be highlighted, respecting the most modern standards of conservation.”

The restoration of the Hall of Arms required special measures for the conservation of the wood, with specific treatments to protect the coffered ceiling from the action of weather and pests. The wall surfaces were restored with materials compatible with the original structure, ensuring perfect aesthetic harmony with the surroundings.

“The restoration of the painted wooden ceiling of the Hall of Arms,” emphasized the restorers of BioRes Restauri, "was a conservation intervention that, while falling within a rather ordinary typology, presented some difficulties in the choice of cleaning and reintegration methodologies, requiring numerous discussions with the officials of the Superintendence. It is important to note that restoration work in places like the Rocca di Dozza is often a source of surprises and unexpected discoveries. During wall consolidation operations, for example, traces of structural interventions carried out in previous eras, such as the presence of an ancient chimney, emerged. Such findings enrich our knowledge of the building and offer insights into what it was like in the past.

Through the interventions, the Rocca di Dozza is confirmed as a living place, capable of recounting its past through the recovered spaces and the preserved works. The renewed usability of the Hall of Arms and the Great Hall thus enriches the visitors’ experience and remains a point of reference for the protection and enhancement of the historical and artistic heritage of the territory.

The restoration of the Rocca di Dozza: the rediscovered Hall of Arms and Great Hall

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