It was the year 1318: after a tumultuous escape from his native city; and various stays in different places on the peninsula, due to the exile imposed by Cante Gabrielli, the new Podestà of Florence, Dante Alighieri arrived in the city of Ravenna, at the court of Guido Novello da Polenta.

In this chief-town of Romagna, the poet was able to work as Guido Novello's ambassador in Venice, when Doge Giovanni Soranzo was in charge; and to finish the most famous work of his literary production, the Divina Commedia. His sons, Pietro and Jacopo, wrote their comments on the Commedia here, while his daughter Antonia took her vows as nun with the evocative name of Sister Beatrice.