Rocchetta Mattei

About the museum

The Rocchetta Mattei was built by Count Cesare Mattei (1809–1896) on the ruins of a 13th-century fortress, the Rocca di Savignano. Mattei bought the land in the 1850s and began the works, moving there permanently in 1859. The castle blends Neo-Medieval, Neo-Renaissance, Moorish and Liberty elements.

Mattei developed electro-homeopathy, an alternative medicine that made him famous and that by 1884 had 107 points of distribution around the world. In 1888 he adopted the collaborator Mario Venturoli, who ran the property after a financial crisis. On Mattei’s death in 1896 his heirs continued the business until 1959.

In 1959 the castle was sold to the wife of the local trader Primo Stefanelli, who ran it as an attraction until it was abandoned in the 1980s. In 2005 it was bought by the Fondazione Carisbo, which began a restoration that is still under way. Today the site is managed by the Comune di Grizzana Morandi in collaboration with the Unione dei Comuni dell’Appennino Bolognese and the Città metropolitana di Bologna.

Highlights

• Neo-Medieval, Moorish and Liberty styles
• Noble Wing with lift
• Moorish Wing
• History of Count Mattei’s electro-homeopathy
• Guided visit in small groups

Permanent exhibition

• Visita guidata alla Rocchetta Mattei – Guided route through the castle’s rooms, between the Noble Wing and the Moorish Wing.

Founded

1850

Operated by

Comune di Grizzana Morandi

Visitors per year

approx. 61,004

Admission & discounts

Payment is made online via PagoPA, by card or bank transfer; cash is not accepted. Tickets are non-refundable but transferable: to change the holder, write at least 2–3 days before the visit. The PDF ticket must be shown at the box office (cassa).

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The Noble Wing can be reached by lift and is recommended for visitors with mobility difficulties. The Moorish Wing and the full route have stairs and narrow passages and are not suitable for people with reduced mobility, young children, women in advanced pregnancy or people with claustrophobia.

Kids & families

• Stroller-friendly: not available

Pushchairs are not permitted inside; the full route is not recommended for young children.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

The site states that weddings, conferences and other events may mean that some rooms are closed to the public.

Plan your visit