First mentioned in 1130, the origin of the name is uncertain. It appears to have come from the word "crepa(tum) corium", meaning cracked crust, to designate a marshy area turning in summer in a dry and cracked ground.

The historical centre of Crevalcore still maintains almost all of the original layout created between the 18th and 19th centuries, in particular regarding the buildings facing onto the main street. The visual effect is undoubtedly fascinating, so much so as to have provoked the enthusiasm of the great art historian Francesco Arcangeli.

In the central square, a bronze sculpture dated 1897 commemorates Crevalcore's most famous son, the scientist Marcello Malpighi .

In the Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall) there are still some traces of work by the famous decorative artist Gaetano Lodi.

As with San Giovanni and Sant'Agata Bolognese, it worth to be mentioned the historical Communal Theatre , inaugurated in 1881, but temporarily unfit for use after the earthquake of May 2012.

The new Library houses an historical archive containing the important "Cabrei", historical maps belonged to the Pepoli family.

Puppets are strongly linked to the traditions of these lands and to the commedia dell'arte, and Crevalcore has dedicated a museum to them (temporarily closed).

Just as interesting as the historical centre of Crevalcore is its vast territory, scattered with extraordinary country villas, here called "castles" temporarily closed: Palata Pepoli, with its notable porticoed courtyard and beautiful doors in rococò style; Galeazza Pepoli, constructed around the imposing 16th century tower; Bevilacqua, a typical Bologna senatorial recidence and Ronchi, composed of a 16th-century noble house and an elegant 18th-century church with an elliptical layout, now belonging to the local council.

A few kilometres away stands the Oratory known as La Rotonda, commissioned by Maria Vittoria Caprara as an ex voto and built between 1765 and 1768 by the architect Fancelli, a student of Dotti.