Antico Stabilimento termale "Terme Alte"

In Porretta Terme, in the Bolognese Apennines, the Antico Stabilimento Termale known as "Terme Alte" forms a cluster of historic buildings nestled at the foot of Monte della Croce, along the Rio Maggiore. Porretta's waters have been documented since Roman times, and their sulphurous, saline-bromine-iodine composition made the springs a reference point for centuries; the baths, already recorded from the 12th century onward, saw major growth in the 19th century with the arrival of the railway, at one point comprising as many as five separate establishments. The Sala Bibita, nicknamed "Grottino Chini", houses an extraordinary décor of thousands of ceramic tiles created in the early 20th century by Galileo Chini, a leading figure of Italian Art Nouveau.

Today largely abandoned despite its immense architectural and historical value, the complex ranked third in the FAI's national "Luoghi del Cuore" competition in 2018, an encouraging sign for its future restoration. These buildings stand as a reminder of an era when Porretta ranked among Italy's most prestigious thermal resorts, carried by remarkable Art Nouveau architecture.