Tresigallo, the Metaphysical City in Emilia-Romagna

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by letygoeson12, Apr, 2022Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Tresigallo, the capital of Italian Rationalism, is a city of re-foundation that, precisely because of its architectural and urban modernity, has been awarded the recognition of City of Art and metaphysical city.

I am walking through the streets of Tresigallo, a very peculiar town halfway between the Comacchio Valley and Ferrara. Visiting seemed absolutely necessary to see with my own eyes the undeniable originality of this place. I was not disappointed—quite the opposite!

On a very quiet pre-Easter Sunday, the semi-deserted streets provided the perfect setting for this day trip into a parallel dimension on Earth, made of straight lines and strange geometric shapes. Or have I unknowingly stepped into Giorgio De Chirico’s painting “Mystery and Melancholy”?

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Metaphysics: /me·ta·phys·ics/ noun

Any philosophical doctrine that presents itself as a science of absolute reality, seeking to explain the primary causes of existence regardless of any empirical data;

Italy is full of rationalist (or fascist) architecture. Think of many post offices, railway stations, and sports stadiums. Most buildings constructed during the interwar period today say little about politics, but they are certainly well-placed in an unforgettable historical period, imprinted in everyone’s memory.

Rational buildings, without excessive embellishments, but designed with a very precise purpose. In many art cities, these buildings blend almost naturally into urban landscapes, and when juxtaposed with palaces from other eras, they create a stark contrast that has now become part of our daily reality.

In Tresigallo, this is the only type of architecture present, the result of a well-defined project that still surprises with its modernity and attention to detail, earning Tresigallo the definition of a “metaphysical city.”

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COSA TROVERAI IN QUESTO POST:

The birth of the Metaphysical City

At the end of the 1920s, the economic crisis had left this area, like many others, in a state of deep poverty. It was in the early 1930s that the government, under the influence of Edmondo Rossoni, a native of Tresigallo and Mussolini’s Minister of Agriculture at the time, decided to build an administrative and commercial hub, transforming the small village of Tresigallo into a model fascist city.

With the help of engineer Carlo Frighi, they designed the town’s development following an extremely rigid scheme, starting first with a road to connect Tresigallo to Ferrara, then constructing all the essential buildings for the local community, from the school to the sports field, the House of Culture, the embroidery school for girls, the retirement home, the dance hall, as well as the town hall and many private residences.

The SOGNI building, on the other hand, was used as a locker room and public bathhouse for young boys.

A perfect geometric style, colorful, rationalist. Each building had—and still has—its function.

Among the designers of the new Tresigallo, along with Rossoni and Frighi, were other young engineers and architects.

The success at the time was incredible; within four years, the population grew exponentially, increasing from 700 inhabitants to 9,000.

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How to visit Tresigallo

Tresigallo can be explored independently simply by walking through the streets of the center.

Finding yourself here, strolling among buildings with contrasting colors and squared shapes that cast long, austere shadows, is truly like crossing into a parallel dimension. A decidedly dreamlike journey, in a muffled and alienating atmosphere where time has stood still.

On the website https://www.tresigallolacittametafisica.it/, you can find a convenient map to ensure you don’t miss any of the most significant buildings.

However, the best way to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of this place is with a passionate guide who, through their stories, can illustrate a carefully designed itinerary ready to fascinate. It is possible to book a guided tour through this link: Guided Tours and Itineraries.

In any case, visitors are kindly requested to respect the peace of the town, as it is still inhabited, as well as the church and the functioning cemetery.