Trignano di Fanano (MO) // Riva Ridge Museum

The Museo dei Monti della Riva, located in the hamlet of Trignano in the municipality of Fanano, is housed in the former elementary school built in 1920. This thematic centre is arranged over two floors, each dedicated to distinct themes that are nevertheless deeply connected to local history. On the ground floor, one section is dedicated to Felice Pedroni, an emigrant originally from Trignano who, taking part in the Alaska gold rush, became known as “Felix Pedro” and co-founder of the city of Fairbanks. Through documents, photographs and personal objects, the museum retraces his extraordinary adventure, a symbol of the experiences of many Italian emigrants of the time.

The first floor, on the other hand, is dedicated to the wartime events of the Gothic Line in the Monti della Riva during the Second World War. This section displays numerous war relics found on the battlefield, testimonies to the battle fought in February 1945 between the American 10th Mountain Division and the German 232nd Infantry Division. More than thirty biographies of individuals involved in the conflict – including civilians, priests, partisans, soldiers of different nationalities and intelligence agents – offer a human perspective on the historical events. Two thematic rooms explore specific aspects in greater depth: one dedicated to Allied intelligence operations and the other to food survival strategies during the war period. From the museum, an educational hiking trail leads to Pizzo di Campiano, where a monument stands in memory of the fallen of the Riva, allowing visitors to explore directly the places narrated in the exhibitions.