Grotta Felici-Stacchini

The Felici-Stacchini Cave is an architecturally distinctive chamber within the underground network beneath Santarcangelo di Romagna. Its circular plan, six trapezoidal pillars and domed vault set it apart from the more ordinary storage caves in the hill.

Why it matters

The cave is one of a small group of elaborately shaped chambers identified in regional geological records. Its refined form has prompted hypotheses about an early religious use, but no definitive date or function has been established. The room is therefore significant both for its construction and for the questions that remain about the history of Santarcangelo's underground spaces.

What to notice

The central chamber is ringed by six trapezoidal pillars that support arches beneath a curved, dome-like ceiling. Five shallow niches are cut into the walls. The chamber's plan has been compared with the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, though this is a comparison of form rather than evidence of a direct historical connection. The combination of regular geometry and excavated sandstone gives the cave a different character from the surrounding network.

Context and history

The cave is associated with the Felici family and the house above it. Its exact date and original purpose are unknown, and the proposed early Christian interpretation remains a hypothesis rather than an established fact. Regional records group it among several caves distinguished by their architectural refinement; documented use of the wider cave network is recorded by a notarial deed of 1496. The chamber's uncertain origins are part of its historical significance, but do not resolve its original use.