Maranello Castle

Before becoming the town we know today, Maranello was a Medieval settlement centred on its Castle. In fact, the old village was under the lordship of the Calcagnini family from 1464 until the Unification of Italy.

The Castle, which is still there above the town, is of very ancient origin. Its history is not clearly documented, but some remains on the ground speak for themselves: there were fortifications on that site at least from the Middle Ages, and next to them a church, the old church of San Biagio (St Blaise).
In 1501 a strong earthquake shook the area and demolished a large portion of the fortress. The Castle was then rebuilt, in its current form, together with all the surrounding buildings.

Although over the centuries the village of Maranello spread down towards the plain, the parish offices, primary school and municipal offices were all housed in the Castle for a long time, only moving to a more central position in the early 20th century.

The Castle remained in private hands even after the Unification of Italy, and is still under private ownership today. Its most famous owners include artist Giuseppe Graziosi, who lived there from 1936 to 1942 and converted the old deconsecrated church of San Biagio for use as his sculpture studio.