Parco Talon: Attraction informations
Parco della Chiusa, also known to the public as Parco Talon (Talon Park), belongs to the municipality of Casalecchio di Reno, inside Bologna, and covers about 110 hectares.
The park is nowadays very near the city, but it was not always this way. Despite its huge territory we can find among the park a great number of local natural smaller environments typical of the low Apennines.
The fauna of the Park
Among the various species that inhabit the park, we can find truly rare ones like the
salamandrina terdigitata, that lives in only 3 habitats inside the district of Bologna. The salamandrina is an amphibious that loves living in forests with plenty of water. Currently in high risk of extinction, whenever it is sighted the place where it’s seen immediately falls under the
integral guardianship regime, prohibiting any human activity.
The park is also the home for
several species of bats, living in different colonies and proving it is a clean and guarded habitat. Many of these colonies have found their home inside the
tunnels built during
World War II to protect the Bolognese from the bombings.
The
underground shelters were built inside the park as Casalecchio di Reno suffered many bombings that aimed to destroy its railway connection and the bridge crossing the River Reno. The tunnels are currently closed by gates, allowing the comings and goings of the bats.
The old estate of the Sampieri Talon: the villa and the gardens
The whole extension that is now the park was once part of the private estate of one of the richest and most powerful families of the Bolognese senate: the
Talon and Sampieri families, owners of the still visible, although almost destroyed, villa that gives way to the huge park.
Of huge dimensions, the
villa was the stage of
magnificent parties and the summer residence of the family. Its beauty and majestic presence can be seen in many pictures of its splendor days, displaying before its main façade an imposing fountain and greenhouse. Unfortunately, the villa was bombed during the last war and has never been restored.
Surrounding the villa different kinds of gardens were cultivated, all following the trends of the moment. In fact, we can still see the
French park, with its fountains and symmetric hedges, the
Italian park, and the so-called
English park also known as the Romantic one.
The English park is probably the most difficult to discern, as it was created with the idea of imitating a natural habitat. It is therefore almost impossible to distinguish it from the rest of the park, near the sluice.
Along the Park, there are several
building remains, part of the old lord’s properties. Storage buildings, old colonial houses and small eastern-looking temples where the Talon family and their guests found refreshment during their parties and promenades.
Behind the Villa, a path leads the way to the
Church of San Luca. This narrow road climbs up the hill offering us outstanding views of the Bolognese plain. Along this path, the stops for the
Via Crucis take us directly to the Madonna’s shrine.
In the old days, the park reached the right bank of the Reno; now this continuity is disrupted by the construction of houses that unite the park to Casalecchio. This park is frequently used as the stage for many local and social
activities and events.
