Bevilacqua
Bevilacqua: a village between two municipalities
Hello everyone! Today I will tell you about a very interesting village in Emilia-Romagna, called Bevilacqua. This small village is divided in half between two municipalities: Cento, in the province of Ferrara, and Crevalcore, in the province of Bologna.
Physical geography
The territory of Bevilacqua was the subject of a hydraulic and agricultural reclamation plan in the first half of the 20th century. In particular, the "La Bonifica" collector of high waters was built, which borders the village to the west. This canal originates in Lorenzatico, a hamlet of San Giovanni in Persiceto, before flowing into the Panaro river near Finale Emilia. Today, Bevilacqua is protected by the Ecological Rebalancing Area of the municipalities of San Giovanni in Persiceto and Crevalcore, for its environmental importance. There are also historical wetlands in the village, protected in the Biotopes and environmental restorations of Crevalcore.
History
The history of Bevilacqua goes back to the Roman period, as evidenced by the findings of remains dating back to the 3rd century BC. However, the current nucleus of the village dates back to the Early Middle Ages, when the first rural communities were formed under the jurisdiction of the Nonantola Abbey. This Benedictine monastery owned many land properties in Emilia and Tuscany and was very committed to land reclamation. In 1463, the territory of Bevilacqua was granted in emphyteusis to the Bevilacqua marquises by the abbot of Nonantola, who asked them to contribute to reclamation works. The Bevilacqua family also built a church and a palace as their own country home. The portion of Bevilacqua belonging to the municipality of Cento also has medieval origins, being part of the "partecipanza" of Cento, the historical institution that regulated the administration of rural areas owned by the bishop of Bologna and leased in emphyteusis to local families. The two nuclei of the village then merged in the 20th century, both from an urbanistic and religious point of view, with the establishment of a single parish in 1935.
In conclusion, Bevilacqua is a small village with interesting historical connections to the surrounding territory. If you are in the area, I recommend visiting!
