Located on the edge of the Pialassa Baiona brackish water lagoon, CAPANNO GARIBALDI is one of the undisputed protagonists of the Italian Risorgimento. This hut was also a central place for “Trafila Garibaldina“, the escape across Romagna of Giuseppe Garibaldi, his wife Anita and a handful of trustworthy companions to reach safety from the Austrian and Papal troops.
It was in this hunting lodge built in 1810 by Don Giuseppe Roncuzzi (known as Don Masone), that Giuseppe Garibaldi found shelter in August 1849, as he was fleeing from Rome after the fall of the Republic.
The hut today
The hut has come down to us thanks to a series of restoration works and is today managed and guarded by Società Conservatrice del Capanno Garibaldi. In 1911, the hut was destroyed by fire, but was immediately rebuilt.
The building features masonry external walls and a sloping roof covered with reeds – a common characteristic in the area of the Po Delta.
The hut has two rooms: in the largest one, on the ground floor, is a fireplace and a wooden stepladder leading to a crawl space.
The smallest one, instead, was probably used as a shelter for hunting boats.
It is possible to see various elements and plaques on the walls recalling the events of Garibaldi’s escape.
Garibaldi and Ravenna
In order to better understand why Garibaldi passed by Ravenna and what happened, there are two other places that are worth a visit: Fattoria Guiccioli and the Risorgimento Museum.
The latter, which is now undergoing renovation works, displays weapons, uniforms, paintings, letters and documents. On display are also the cloak and the hat given to Garibaldi by the people of Ravenna, as well as the blanket used to wrap Anita’s corpse.
