Molinella
Molinella: presentation of the town
Hello friends, today I want to introduce you to Molinella, an Italian town located in the northeastern corner of the metropolitan city of Bologna in Emilia-Romagna. This town, which has held the title of city in Italy since June 24, 2003, has a population of 15,598.
Physical geography of Molinella
The municipal territory of Molinella extends across the low Bolognese plain and borders the province of Ferrara. With its 127.87 km², Molinella is the municipality with the lowest altitude in the entire metropolitan city of Bologna. The main rivers that run through it are the Reno, the Idice stream, the Botte Canal, and Lorgana.
Territory of Molinella
The territory of Molinella, which originally was a swampy and unhealthy area, has been almost completely reclaimed for agriculture. Today there are some nature reserves, such as the "Vallazza" and "Boscosa", which allow us to imagine what the original territory was like with its marshes, reed beds, and thick forests of willows, poplars, and oaks. The nature reserves are defined as special protection areas (ZPS) for their environmental significance related to the preservation of local fauna and flora and are part of the environmental biotypes and restorations of Medicina and Molinella.
Cultivations of Molinella
The fertile land of Molinella was mainly cultivated with rice until about 50 years ago. Gradually, other crops such as corn, orchards, and wheat were introduced.
Climate of Molinella
The climate of the town is a temperate continental climate. Winters are cold and humid, often with snowfall. However, extreme temperatures are not rare. In fact, a record low temperature of -28.8°C was recorded on the night of January 12-13, 1985. During the summer, the climate becomes hot and humid, with occasional thunderstorms and showers. Spring and autumn, on the other hand, are rather cold and rainy, with the latter also being very foggy.
Origin of the name Molinella
The name of the town comes from the presence of water mills, once widespread and now mostly disappeared. According to popular legend, the name Molinella derives from the name of a mill owned by a lady named Nella, hence the contraction of the name. However, this is just a legend, as confirmed by Calori's monographic study.
In conclusion, Molinella is a fascinating territory rich in history, where nature and agriculture are still very present. Despite its very low altitude, the town of Molinella offers suggestive landscapes and a varied climate, making it an ideal destination for all nature and rural traditions enthusiasts.
