The Municipal Palace of Bertinoro, now known as Palazzo Ordelaffi, was built in the early 14th century at the behest of Pino I Ordelaffi, a member of a powerful family from Forlì, and a key figure in the political life of medieval Romagna. In 1306, Pino I seized control of Bertinoro, then held by the Guelph faction, and commissioned the construction of the palace as the seat of civil authority and a symbol of the new Ghibelline power.
The eight columns of the loggia, made of local stone and inspired by Roman and Byzantine models, date to a construction phase earlier than the 14th century. Much of the palace’s masonry is composed of reused materials from older buildings, in keeping with a common medieval practice. The façade, built in spungone—a type of sandstone typical of the area—uses its irregular surface to create striking effects of light and shadow. The Ghibelline battlements visible today are not original; they were added in 1934 during a Neo-medieval restoration designed by Cesare Bazzani, a prominent figure in 20th-century Italian architecture.
On the main floor are two historically significant rooms. The Sala del Popolo was used for civic assemblies and public decision-making, while the Sala della Fama, also known as the Hall of Paintings, houses a cycle of canvases dedicated to the history of Bertinoro, painted by Antonio Zambianchi (1748–1780), an artist active in the late 18th century.
Among the works preserved in the palace, particular prominence is given to the painting Stamira Sets Fire to the Machines at the Siege of Ancona by the Marche-born artist Francesco Podesti (1800–1895), one of the leading exponents of 19th-century Italian historical painting. The work, now displayed in the Mayor’s office, celebrates civic courage and the defense of urban freedom.
Beneath the loggia, in 1921, on the occasion of the 600th anniversary of Dante Alighieri’s death, an inscription was placed bearing verses from the fourteenth canto of the Purgatorio, in which the poet recalls Bertinoro and its tradition of hospitality. Exiled from Florence, Dante found refuge in the courts of Romagna, including that of the Ordelaffi, who were among the first to offer him protection.
Today, Palazzo Ordelaffi preserves the civic and historical memory of Bertinoro. Although restored in the 1930s, it retains its medieval character and preserves in its name the legacy of the Ordelaffi family, who throughout the 14th century resisted the control of Romagna by the Papal States, fiercely defending their autonomy.
Over the centuries, Palazzo Ordelaffi has become a symbol of civic freedom and local pride. It was so highly valued that it was firmly defended even when, in later periods, some bishops proposed demolishing it to make way for the Cathedral of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. The town chose instead to preserve it, recognizing it as an essential part of its history.
