Rocca Sforzesca - Collezioni d'armi e di ceramiche - Imola

The exhibitions housed in the Rocca Sforzesca fortress, which was restored in the 1960s and inaugurated as a museum in 1975, are on display in the Rocca’s halls, walkways, and turrets. They include two noteworthy collections – one of weapons, the other of ceramic pottery – that have been the object of studies, cataloguing, and restoration. The weapons collection includes about 600 items from the 13th to the 19th centuries, only a small proportion of which have ties to the history of the Rocca Sforzesca. On the other hand, the pottery collection focuses on material found during the restoration efforts carried out in the 1960s, and provides tangible evidence of life inside the fortress. The weapons collection prevalently features melee weapons, but it also holds a fair number of body armour and firearms, including Renaissance-era artillery. The items on display do not generally have ties to the Rocca’s history; most were purchased by the municipal administration to augment the collection, with the exception of a few items – a bombard and two great helms - found in the fortress’s well. On the other hand, the archaic potteries from the Alidosi family era on display in the keep and in the south-eastern turret – whose exhibits feature ample informative material - come from the fortress itself. Indeed, they were found during the restoration efforts carried out in the 1960s, and the exhibits highlight their provenance: most were found in the keep, especially its two wells – a water well and a debris pit – and the dungeon. They include graffita and majolica pottery with initials, decorations, and symbols from antiquity. One of the most noteworthy items is a jug decorated with the Alidosi family’s coat of arms, featuring an eagle. Another rare item is a full set of graffita pottery plates from the early 15th century that was found in the debris pit at the foot of the keep.