Around 8 September, the day of the Madonna's feast, swarms of winged ants climb to the top of the mountain and die there: it has always happened, and from that the mountain takes its name, Monte delle Formiche, with the sanctuary of Santa Maria di Zena on its spur.
Today's town is not where it used to be: in the winter of 1944 to 1945, on the Gothic Line, Pianoro was 98.5% destroyed — houses, churches, bridges, railway — and they rebuilt it three kilometres further north. The old one stayed where it was, with the parish church of San Giacomo. The castle where Bonifacio of Canossa lived was pulled down by the Bolognese in 1377. There are 16,890 residents.
Tagliatelle al Ragù
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Next up: The Assumption of Mary, patron of the land of the Mountain of the Ants, Sunday 15 August
Nearest airport: Bologna Marconi, 17 km away
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📅 Every year, on 15 August; around 8 September the winged ants of the Monte delle Formiche
Pianoro celebrates the Assumption of Mary on 15 August; around 8 September, the day of another Marian feast, swarms of winged ants reach the top of the Monte delle Formiche and die there, a phenomenon that gives the mountain its name.
Straight-line distances from the town centre. Tap a point to open its page.
The closest destinations covered by our editors, with straight-line distance.
Outside Pianoro, but an easy day trip away.
