The name "Mercato Saraceno", derives from a member of a noble family from Ravenna who in the twelfth century founded a market, Mercato in italian, in this area,near the only bridge over the Savio river that connected the lower with the upper valley. Piazza Mazzini is the heart of the town, with the Town Hall and the Church of Santa Maria Nuova. In the area there are valuable Romanesque churches and cellars.