Castelnovo di Sotto
The History of Castelnovo di Sotto
Hello everyone! Today, I would like to tell you about Castelnovo di Sotto, an Italian municipality located in the province of Reggio Emilia, in the beautiful Emilia-Romagna region. The town has 8,462 inhabitants and is only 25 km from the provincial capital. But the real charm of Castelnovo di Sotto lies in its history.
The first document referring to a settlement in the area of the town dates back to 980, with the sale that took place in "Castronovum". The name derives from the original military vocation of the village, which arose around a fortress, a "castra", which became increasingly strategically important over time, until it became a fortress in 1200. The lords of the place over the centuries were noble families such as the Canossa, the Visconti, and the Terzi.
The fortress was contested, especially between the Da Correggio and the Este, but in the end, in 1366, Bernabò Visconti assigned the fief of Meletole and Castelnovo di Sotto to Luchino Dal Verme. In 1386, Antonio da Correggio sold part of the fortress to Jacopo Dal Verme, son of Luchino Dal Verme and his heir. During the fifteenth century, the Dukes of Milan (Visconti and Sforza) and the Estensi alternated in the domain. In 1652, Duke Francesco d'Este sold the fief to the Gherardini di Montagliari, who held it until the Italian Campaign (1796-1797).
In 1796, Castelnovo was proclaimed a "Free Municipality" and, after joining the Republic of Reggio and then the Cisalpine Republic, returned to Este possession with the Restoration. In the Risorgimento, the most illustrious son of Castelnovo, Luigi Melegari, was an important diplomat, foreign minister of the Depretis I government and co-founder of the Young Italy movement, as well as a fervent follower of the ideas of Giuseppe Mazzini. In 2001, Castelnovo di Sotto was awarded the title of City.
Symbols
The municipality of Castelnovo di Sotto has two official symbols: the coat of arms and the municipal flag. The former contains a silver tower with the Guelf merl, while the latter is a blue flag with an heraldic cross.
Monuments and Places of Interest
The Fortress (Town Hall)
One of the most important monuments in Castelnovo di Sotto is the Fortress, whose original building was built in 1000 by the founder of the Canossa lineage, Sigifredo di Lucca. In 1318, Giberto IV da Correggio had it rebuilt and expanded. Today it is the Town Hall of the municipality.
Other Places of Interest
The municipality of Castelnovo di Sotto also has numerous other churches and historic buildings of great beauty, such as the church of San Giovanni Battista, the church of Santa Maria Assunta, the Post Office Palace and the Teatro Sociale. In addition, every year, in September, the Fiera di San Michele is held, one of the oldest fairs in the area.
In Castelnovo di Sotto, in short, there is certainly no shortage of cultural and tourist heritage, as well as the scenic beauty of the Lower Reggiana. If you happen to be in the area, you can't miss a visit!
