Renazzo
Renazzo: the most populous hamlet of Cento, in the province of Ferrara
Renazzo is a hamlet of the municipality of Cento, located in the province of Ferrara. The name of the hamlet comes from the Reno river, which in the Middle Ages flowed west of Cento and flooded its waters in the current territory of Renazzo. Renazzo was developed thanks to land reclamation work and the granting of land to local inhabitants. The demographic growth of Renazzo occurred after the construction of the church of San Sebastiano in the 1400s.
History
Renazzo, together with other hamlets in Cento, was granted by the agricultural participation of Cento and Pieve di Cento to the local inhabitants. In 1460, Cardinal Filippo Calandrini gave the green light to the request for the sale of the Malafitto territory, which included the current Renazzo and "XII Morelli," as it was unproductive. After the separation between Cento and Pieve di Cento with a bishopric bull in 1376, the lands were thus divided among Bishop Ottaviano II Ubaldini, Cento, and Pieve di Cento.
In 1489, the church of San Sebastiano was built, as the population had grown and there was a need to receive the sacraments. In 1630, the plague also reached Renazzo, causing over 200 deaths. Despite this, the population of Renazzo continued to increase, reaching 2638 inhabitants in 1676. In 1859, Renazzo became part of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which became the Kingdom of Italy in 1861. Renazzo is also the birthplace of Ferruccio Lamborghini, the entrepreneur and creator of the Lamborghini automotive brand.
Monuments and places of interest
Renazzo is home to the Church of San Sebastiano, whose origins date back to the 15th century. After the Emilia earthquake in 2012, which made it unusable, the church was reopened for worship in September 2018, after long restoration works. Renazzo also includes the Oratory of Carmine.
Meteorite
In January 1824, a meteorite fell in Renazzo, made up of carbonaceous chondrites. Three fragments were recovered, the largest of which weighed 5 kg and is now preserved at the University of Bologna.
Renazzo is an interesting hamlet that has preserved important historical and natural monuments over the years. The Church of San Sebastiano and the Oratory of Carmine represent two of Renazzo's main religious attractions, while the meteorite is a unique point of interest in its particular nature.
