Alfonsine in a small town located in Emilia Romagna, Italy. The town’s origin and name are directly linked to Alfonso I d’Este, Duke of Ferrara, Modena, and Reggio. In the early 16th century, Alfonso I undertook significant land reclamation projects in the vast marshlands of the Romagna region, particularly along the banks of the River Lamone. He commissioned the construction of important hydraulic works, including canals and drainage systems, to transform these swampy areas into fertile agricultural land.
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The new settlement that arose from these reclamation efforts was consequently named “Alfonsine” in his honor, acknowledging his crucial role in developing the territory. Therefore, the “legend” behind the name is less a mythical tale and more a historical narrative of human intervention, engineering, and territorial expansion driven by the Este dynasty.
Sagra delle Alfonsine – Agriculture Festival
We accidentallys stumbled just in time for Sagra delle Alfonsine – Agriculture Festival in Alfonsine. My friend drove us from Ravenna with a car and showed us around.
The Sagra delle Alfonsine isn’t just any old small town festival; it’s where scarecrows come to life and tractors get their moment in the spotlight! Held annually in Alfonsine, this shindig showcases the town’s agricultural prowess, proving that even a humble scarecrow can be a work of art. Locals compete fiercely, decking out their gardens and balconies with these straw-filled guardians, probably just to make the crows think twice about landing there.
These aren’t your garden-variety, straw-stuffed figures. Locals pull out all the stops, dressing them in elaborate outfits, giving them hilarious expressions, and sometimes even staging them in comical vignettes. You might spot a scarecrow enjoying a miniature picnic, another strumming a tiny guitar, or even a whole scarecrow family recreating a famous painting. Some of them sticking their head in a hay stack or just laying on top of it. It’s a delightful spectacle that truly transforms the entire town into an open-air gallery of quirky, straw-filled masterpieces, each one trying to outdo the last in its inventiveness!
Lady scarecrow
Other Artistic Displays
There is no limit to the ingenuity of Alfonsine people. They used hay stacks as building blocks of the train, sunflower and even a cow. It is a real treat for children I guess.
Tractor display
The Sagra delle Alfonsine features a captivating tractor display, which forms a key part of its “Gimkana Trattoristica” (tractor obstacle course) and overall agricultural celebration. This isn’t merely a static exhibition; it’s an interactive showcase of the machinery that powers the local farming community.
Attendees can observe a diverse range of tractors, from vintage models that hark back to Alfonsine’s rich agricultural past, to modern, high-tech machines that demonstrate contemporary farming innovations. During the Gimkana, these powerful vehicles perform in a controlled environment, navigating various obstacles and showcasing the skill of their drivers.
If you’re not into modern machines, then you can enjoy some really old and rusty or just simple small tractors.
Food Tent in Alfonsine Festival
You will spot a large tent ni the middle of the place where the festival is taking place. That’s where the delicious food is served. You can see a long queue to get inside and while waiting you will feel your stomach rumbling from all the delicious smells.
At the entrance one of the scarecrows, almost as a hostess with a fancy hat greets you before entering the tent.
Local food experience
Inside of the tent a host meets you to be seated in one the long tables. Don’t be alarmed when you will be sitting at the same table with strangers. In front of os there was a lady with two Springer Spaniel dogs on the chair. Carefully feeding them from their plate. You know when they say that the dogs reseemble the owner? That was definitely the case!
We’ve got a sheet to mark which food we wish to order and the amount of it. Of course, all was in Italian! Then with the sheet we went to pay at the cashier, which was an experience on it’s own! One queue was to pay in cash and another by card. The whole meal for 3 people with wine costs us €63.
After paying, we patiently were waiting for food to be delivered to the table. We were lucky to get in early as all the tables behind us were crowded and even more people were queuing up to get in. However, the crowds on weekend are probably even bigger!
If tent full of people is not enough, you can also see caricature drawing all across the tent, which almost look like election campaign, just in a funny way.
Other Parts of the Festival
Once you filled up your stomach, you can wonder around and buy some souvenirs or more snacks and local produce. The crepes smelled really good! Also, you can just simple enjoy some music coming from the stage.
I could also see posters on the fences with old photos that seemed agriculture related too.
Church of Saint Mary
The Church of Saint Mary in Alfonsine (Chiesa di Santa Maria) stands as a significant religious and historical landmark within the municipality of Alfonsine, in the province of Ravenna, Italy. The original Church of Santa Maria was erected in 1502 by Alfonso Calcagnini. Consequently, the church was later enlarged in 1540 by his nephews, Alfonso II and Teofilo II Calcagnini. Maybe it is not be as ancient as some other churches in Italy, its history is deeply intertwined with the development and resilience of the town.
The original Church of Santa Maria was erected in 1502 by Alfonso Calcagnini. It was later enlarged in 1540 by his nephews, Alfonso II and Teofilo II Calcagnini. However, the church was completely destroyed during World War II, specifically around 1945, due to heavy bombing and fighting in the area. The “new” Church of Santa Maria was subsequently founded in 1868 and completed in 1879, but this structure was also destroyed in the war.
The current church building, or at least the one that replaced the wartime destruction, had its first stone laid in 1953 (though some sources might refer to it as the Church of Sacro Cuore built on the same site) and was inaugurated in 1958.
It was getting late and we had a long way to get back to Rimini. The streets were empty with well maintained houses and their gardens.
