Monastery of the SS Trinità.

Description:The Community of Castel Bolognese wanted to build a monastery for nuns back in 1535 and in 1582 the young Monsignor Domenico Ginnasi proposed the construction of a monastery for Dominican nuns.

In the meantime he became a Cardinal and on December 5^th 1612 obtained permission for construction from Paolo V. The first stone was laid on June 24^th 1613 and the blessing ceremony for the Church and Monastery was performed on November 2^nd 1613.

Cardinal Ginnasi actually wanted to erect the Monastery near the Church of Corpus Domini of the Rocca del Castello, or the Castel fortress, although he was not able to. He therefore purchased several homes on the Via Emilia, one the property of his relative Girolamo Pallantieri, whilst another home with a portico was donated by the Community.

He then called on architect Fra Domenico Paganelli to build the Monastery, who was already working on the family building further down the Via Emilia and who certainly did not demolish the pre-existing buildings but adapted them. Proof of this are the arches that were filled in and discovered around fifteen years ago on the façade following restoration works and several interior rooms with beautiful 1400’s umbrella vaults.

It is without a doubt that the beautiful Church with its rear choir stalls of the Nuns was built brand new by  Paganelli, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, whilst the Monastery was named after the Holy Virgin and Saints Dominic and Francis.

During the front on the Senio river between December 1944 and April 1945 the Monastery just like the rest of the city was bombarded and ruined.

Its cellars were used as a refuge and asylum for numerous families left without a home of the Parish of “Pace” located in the front on the Senio river. The cellars also provided refuge to the Holy Image of the Blessed Virgin in Conception, the patron of the town, to protect it from the damages that were perpetrated in St. Francis’ Church.

Today the Monastery houses 21 strictly cloistered nuns and for Castel Bolognese represents an unmatched religious institution, a gift of grace and religion to the benefit of all of the town’s population.