Finale Emilia
Discovering Finale Emilia
Let me introduce you to Finale Emilia, a municipality located in the province of Modena, in Emilia-Romagna, which has about 15,000 inhabitants. This city is the easternmost municipality of the province of Modena and is part of the Union of Modenese Municipalities of the North Area. Its location, as its name suggests, was formerly located on the border between the Duchy of Modena and the Papal State.
The Physical Geography of Finale Emilia
The climate of Finale Emilia is temperate and has typical characteristics of the Po Valley and mid-latitudes. The city has moderately cold winters that are not very rainy and often have foggy days. Summers are hot and humid, with occasional thunderstorms, and springs and autumns are generally rainy. Finale Emilia is located in zone E in terms of climatic classification and in zone 2 for seismicity.
The Origin of the Name Finale Emilia
The name Finale comes from locus finalis, which means border place. The city has retained this name because it is currently located on the border between the provinces of Modena and Ferrara. Finale Emilia is related to its position, which was also formerly located on the border between the Duchy of Modena and the Papal State. Until 1863, the city was defined as "Finale di Modena," but after its inclusion in the Kingdom of Italy, it was finally called Finale Emilia.
The History of Finale Emilia
Ancient History
The territory of the city of Finale Emilia constitutes a border zone with a history that goes back to ancient times. The first urban settlements date back to the Bronze Age. The strategic position of the Finalese territory was already well known in Roman times when they settled there between the 2nd and 4th centuries, possibly founding the Forum Alieni mentioned by Tacitus in his Historiae.
From the Middle Ages to the early 1600s
The first official document in which Finale Emilia is explicitly mentioned dates back to 1009. The document refers to the Finalese castle mentioned as an object of exchange between the Bishop of Modena Varino and the Abbot of Nonantola Rodolfo. In 1213, the Finalese settlement was officially born. The inhabitants of Ponteduce joined the soldiers stationed at the Castrum finalis, leading to the expansion of the settlement and the foundation of the Municipality of Finale, which found concrete expression in the construction of the Tower of the People of Modena or the Clock Tower.
From the end of the 13th century, Finale became indissolubly linked to Modena. At the end of the 15th century, the civil and economic nucleus of the village began to develop, including small artisanal factories mainly dedicated to processing wool, leather, and glass. In the first half of the 16th century, Duke Ercole II d'Este, at the request of the Finalese themselves, demolished the city walls to give more space to local industrial activities. In 1598, Duke Cesare d'Este, forced to cede Ferrara to the Pope, took refuge in Finale which, thanks to the hospitality shown, received the title of "Finale Fedelissimo" (Most Faithful Finale).
In summary, Finale Emilia is a city with a long history behind it, and over the centuries, it has been the scene of numerous events that have made it a protagonist in various historical phases. The city is a place rich in history, culture, and traditions coexisting with progress and modernity.
