The Fortress of Ravaldino: Caterina Sforza's fortress symbol of Forli.

A fortress that was the home of Caterina Sforza, the scene of battles, a bulwark defending one of the most prosperous cities in northern Italy during the Renaissance: we are talking about the Rocca di Ravaldino di Forlì, also known as the "Rocca di Caterina," or one of the most extraordinary examples of Renaissance military architecture in Emilia-Romagna. Located in what is now the historic center of the Romagna city, this fortress has spanned the centuries with its grandeur and its load of history, from medieval battles to the present day, becoming a symbol of the city’s courage and tenacity.

The origins of the Rocca di Ravaldino date back to the 14th century, when Cardinal Egidio Albornoz, during his campaign to bring the territories of Romagna back under the control of the Church, had a first fortification built on a square plan, characterized by circular corner towers and a central keep. From this first fortification perhaps also derives the name by which the fortress is still known today: a “ravelin” was properly a small fortification that was detached from the walls of a city, and generally served as a first bulwark, as a form of protection of a gateway to the city, or in general as the first protection of a town. However, at that time the fortress, although conceived for defensive purposes, was far from the final form it would take in later centuries: in short, it was not the fortress we see today walking through the streets of Forli.

In fact, it was during the rule of the Ordelaffi family, in particular at the behest of Pino III Ordelaffi (Forlì, 1436 - 1480), lord of Forlì from 1466 to 1480, that the Rocca di Ravaldino took on its current structure. In 1471, Pino III commissioned architect Giorgio Marchesi da Settignano to design the extension of the fortification. Marchesi, an expert in the most modern techniques of military architecture, carried out a work that was avant-garde for the time, equipping the fortress with circular bastions, capable of resisting the innovation of artillery.

The square plan of the fortress was retained, but it was reinforced with four cylindrical towers at the corners and a mighty keep in the center of the northwest curtain wall, a symbol of strength and control. The entire structure was also surrounded by a complex system of moats and walls, which made it very difficult to conquer.

The Rocca and the Cittadella: the military dream of the Riario-Sforza family.

In 1480, with the fall of the Ordelaffi family, which followed the tragic end of Pino III (poisoned by his wife Lucrezia Pico) and that of his 13-year-old son Sinibaldo (who, following a popular uprising, had taken refuge in the very Rocca di Ravaldino, where he found death), Forlì came under the rule of Girolamo Riario (Savona, 1443 - Forlì, 1488), nephew of Pope Sixtus IV, and his wife, the famous Caterina Sforza (Milan, c. 1463 - Florence, 1509), destined to become one of the most emblematic figures of the Renaissance. Girolamo Riario again entrusted Giorgio Marchesi with the construction of an additional fortified structure: the Cittadella. The latter, with a quadrilateral plan, was created to house contingents of troops and protect the main fortress. The complex consisted of two main towers and, on the outer sides, two ravelins, Cotogni ’s and Cesena’s, strategically positioned to strengthen the defense.

Between 1488 and 1496, Caterina Sforza, who was widowed by Girolamo Riario after her husband’s assassination following the Orsi conspiracy of 1488 (the Orsi brothers, Ludovico and Checco, hoped to take over the city by eliminating the lord, but their attempt was stifled because Caterina, before being taken prisoner by the Orsi, made time to warn the allies of Bologna and Milan, who sent their contingents in order to quell the revolt), became the real protagonist of the history of the Rocca di Ravaldino. Caterina, after the assassination of Girolamo Riario, became lady regent of Forlì on behalf of her son Ottaviano Riario (who was only nine years old at the time of the events), moved permanently into the fortress and made it the center of her own power, even commissioning the construction of a sumptuous residential palace called "Il Paradiso.“ Unfortunately, this structure has not survived to the present day, but chronicles of the time describe it as a magnificent place, enriched with decorations and comforts that were well suited to the figure of the ”lioness of Romagna."

The siege of the Valentino: the courage of Caterina Sforza

The most famous and dramatic moment in the history of the Rocca di Ravaldino took place between December 1499 and January 1500, when Cesare Borgia, known as the Valentino (César Borja; Subiaco, 1475 - Viana, 1507), son of Pope Alexander VI, besieged Forli with the clear objective of conquering Romagna.

Caterina Sforza, although aware of the power of the enemy army, personally led the defense of the fortress. The chronicle of those events tells us of her extraordinary fortitude and courage. Niccolò Machiavelli, who closely followed the events of Romagna, described Catherine’s resistance in the Prince through a reflection on fortresses: “Ne’ nostri tempi non si vede che quelle [the fortresses, ed.] abbittino profittato ad alcuno principe, se non alla contessa di Furlì, quando era morto il conte Ieronimo suo consorte: for by means of that he was able to flee the popular impetus and wait for relief from Milan and recover the state; and the times were then so that foreigners could not succor the populo. But from then on the fortresses were still of little use to her, when Cesare Borgia attacked her and that the populo, her inimical, conjoined with the forestiere.”

The Valentino, in fact, thanks to numerical superiority and the use of the most modern artillery, managed to open a breach in the southern walls of the fortress. The Borgia coat of arms can still be seen today at that very spot, as a symbol of the Valentino’s victory and the fall of Caterina Sforza. The noblewoman was captured and taken to Rome, where she was imprisoned in Castel Sant’Angelo. She was later freed, although she would never return to Forli: she moved to Florence and distanced herself from politics, living a secluded life.

From decline to the present: the Rocca as prison and historical symbol

With the fall of Caterina Sforza and the passage of Forlì under papal rule, the Rocca di Ravaldino gradually lost its military function. As early as the 16th century, with the evolution of warfare techniques and the introduction of more advanced artillery, the imposing walls of the fortress were no longer sufficient to guarantee the security of the city.

Starting in the 19th century, the Rocca was used as a prison, a function it maintained for more than a century. During the 20th century, the fortress underwent several restorations. In the 1960s, the roofs of the towers and the central keep were rebuilt. The latter, which stands at the center of the structure, is only partially accessible today, but retains its majesty intact. Inside, a unique stone spiral staircase, lacking a central pivot and consisting of 67 overlapping steps, is an extraordinary example of architectural engineering.

Today, the Rocca di Ravaldino stands as an imposing quadrangular architecture with low circular towers and a square-plan keep. Remnants of the 14th-century walls and 15th-century fortifications can be seen in the surrounding garden.

The Rocca today: a place of culture and events

After years of closure, the Rocca di Ravaldino was reopened to the public in 2024, once again becoming one of the most visited places in Forlì. Alongside the historical and architectural route, the Rocca hosts the summer festival "Arena Forlì Rocca di Caterina Estate, " a program full of cultural, musical, theatrical and film events that enhance this extraordinary historical heritage.

The Rocca di Ravaldino is not only a fortress, but a symbol of the city of Forlì: a place that tells stories of battles, passions and unforgettable characters such as Caterina Sforza. Visiting the Rocca means taking a leap back in time, rediscovering the roots of a city that has been able to keep the memory of its past alive, through a journey within its walls to learn the story of the courage of a woman who wrote one of the most intense pages of Renaissance history.

The Fortress of Ravaldino: Caterina Sforza's fortress symbol of Forli.

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