Pennabilli and the poet Tonino Guerra

"Pennabilli was the Himalayas of my childhood. More than a place it was a myth. When I was a child, my parents used to move here to sell fruit. Pennabilli is not far from Santarcangelo di Romagna. So they would take me there, too, because the air is good here. For what reason did I go back there? Because it is a kind of paradise lost and then found. Because for years I have wanted to land somewhere to live differently. I thought about large metropolises. Instead, one day I crossed a small bridge over the Presale (a tributary of the Marecchia River) and came to step on the leaves of a cozy vegetable garden. And here I am. I was seventy years old, I felt like reflecting on my own things, painting, nature, poetry, and I thought of moving to Pennabilli. To start and to begin again."

Who is Tonino Guerra?

Tonino Guerra (1920-2012) was an Italian writer, poet and screenwriter of the 20th century. Born in Santarcangelo di Romagna, Emilia-Romagna, he has left an indelible mark on the world of cinema through his collaboration with some of the greatest Italian and international directors, including Federico Fellini, Michelangelo Antonioni, Andrei Tarkovsky, and Theo Angelopoulos.

A life for cinema

His early training as a teacher and experiences during World War II, including imprisonment in Germany, profoundly influenced his work, enriching it with themes such as memory, landscape, and the search for the meaning of existence. Guerra was known for his ability to transform directors' complex visions into poetic and profound scripts, helping to create some of the most significant works of art cinema.

Poetry and painting

In addition to film, Guerra has also explored poetry and painting, showing a deep connection with his homeland and an unwavering commitment to enhancing Italy's cultural and natural heritage. His life and work in Pennabilli are examples of his love of nature and his vision of art as a means of discovering and preserving the beauty of the world.

The places of Tonino Guerra

A tour in the footsteps of Tonino Guerra can begin in Pennabilli, the "lost paradise." In the old village, you can visit the sundials painted by Mario Arnaldi and adjusted by Giovanni Paltrinieri: their shadow line is a way of indicating the time flowing in the valley. A visit to theGarden of Forgotten Fruits (St. Philip Street, 1) is a trip to a small museum dedicated to forgotten fruit plants: the lemon apple tree, quince pear, birch plum, green fig, sour cherry, jujube, and many others. We then continue to the Shrine of Thoughts (San Rocco Street), instead, is a place of reflection, where there are seven mysterious stones waiting to listen for good words and bad words.

Finally, to immerse yourself in the life and works of Tonino Guerra, a visit to the two museums dedicated to him is a must: the Pennabilli Museum (Via dei Fossi) and the Museum of Santarcangelo (via della Costa, 15).