Cento
Cento: a border town with porticoes and Bolognese cuisine
Cento, a town of 35,099 inhabitants in the province of Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, is often seen as a border land. Despite being in the province of Ferrara, it is only 25 km away from Bologna, 32 km from Ferrara, and 38 km from Modena. This unique location has led to discussions about changing provinces, but the idea has never come to fruition.
Together with its neighboring town Pieve di Cento, it forms an urban area of over 43,000 inhabitants, called the Centopievese territory. Cento is sometimes called "Little Bologna" because of its porticoes and historical center in Bolognese style. The city's cuisine features many dishes typical of the capital of Emilia-Romagna.
Physical geography of Cento
Cento has a flat, predominantly agricultural territory, rich in waterways and maceri, small ponds left over from the cultivation of Cannabis sativa, which sneaks between the provinces of Bologna and Modena. The city is located 25 km from the historic center of Bologna, 35 km from the historic center of Ferrara, and 38 km from the historic center of Modena.
Legends about the origin of the name Cento
There are several hypotheses about the origin of the name Cento. The most widely accepted theory traces the name back to the Latin word "Centum," as in Roman times, territories were divided into Centuries. Or, still dating back to Roman times, from "Cento iugeri," which would be the portion of land assigned to the colonists of that era. Another hypothesis comes from the Lombard period, from "Centenario," a sort of judge who exercised jurisdiction on behalf of the Duke of Persiceta. Finally, there is another theory that the name of the town derives from the Castle of Cento, whose name was given by the Celts, calling it "Celto," then distorted into Cento.
Cento's history in the Middle Ages
The first formally constituted community in the area dates back to 1185, when the bishop of Bologna recognized the community made up of farmers engaged in land reclamation work. In the early 14th century, the "Partecipanza agraria" was born. Originally, Cento was united with Pieve di Cento, but in 1376, by decree of the centopievese prince Bernardo de Bonnevalle, Bishop of Bologna, it was separated from Pieve di Cento, which was recognized as an "autonomous city." From 1502 until 1598 the territory was part of the Este dominions; Pope Alexander VI gave Cento in dowry to Lucrezia Borgia on the occasion of her marriage to Duke Alfonso I d'Este of the Este dynasty; Cento was again administered by Bologna during the pontifical rule starting from 1598.
In the 17th century, the Municipality of Cento was definitively separated from its original parish by a natural event, the inundation of the Reno River (Italy), which occurred in 1648 and was so devastating that it placed the riverbed in the middle of the two towns.
In conclusion, Cento is a city worth visiting for its history, Bolognese-style architectural heritage, cuisine, the beauty of the surrounding countryside, and its unique border location between Bologna and Ferrara.
