Pieve di Cento
Welcome to Cento: the small Bologna of Ferrara province
Cento, or Zèint in northern rustic Bolognese dialect, is an Italian municipality of around 35,000 inhabitants located in the province of Ferrara in Emilia-Romagna. Despite being located in the province of Ferrara, the city is very close to Bologna, just 25 km away, and also to Ferrara and Modena, respectively 32 km and 38 km away.
Geography of Cento: flat territory and rich in waterways
The territory of Cento features a flat and agricultural area with numerous waterways, and extends between the provinces of Bologna and Modena. There are also "maceri", small ponds that testify to the cultivation of cannabis sativa.
Origin of the name: Centum, Centenario or Celto?
There are several hypotheses about the origin of the name of the city of Cento. The most accredited theory dates the name back to the Roman era, from Centum, because the territory was divided into centuries. Another hypothesis, also of Roman origin, is that Cento derives from Cento iugeri, the portion of land assigned to colonists. Others argue that the name may have had a Lombard origin, from "Centenario", a judge who exercised jurisdiction on behalf of the Duke of Persiceta. Finally, there is a theory that the name Cento derives from the Castle of Cento, whose name was given by the Celts, calling it "Celto" and then distorted into Cento.
History of Cento: from the agricultural community to the separation from Pieve
The first formal community established in the area dates back to 1185, when the bishop of Bologna legally recognized the community made up of farmers engaged in land reclamation. In the 14th century, with the gradual loss of power of the bishop of Bologna, the agricultural "partecipanza" was born. Initially, Cento was united with Pieve di Cento, but in 1376, with a decree from the Prince of Cento, Bernardo de Bonnevalle, bishop of Bologna, it was separated from Pieve di Cento, which was recognized with the status of an "autonomous city".
From 1502 to 1598, Cento was part of the Estense dominions; Pope Alexander VI bestowed Cento as a dowry to Lucrezia Borgia on the occasion of her marriage to Duke Alfonso I d'Este of the Estense dynasty; Cento returned to being governed by Bologna during the regency of the Papal State starting from 1598.
In the 17th century, the municipality of Cento was definitively separated from its original Pieve due to the flooding of the Reno river that occurred in 1648, which moved the riverbed between the two centers.
Cento: the small Bologna of Ferrara province
Cento is often called the "small Bologna" for its structure of arcades and the historic center in Bolognese style. The city's cuisine offers numerous typical dishes of Bologna and Emilia-Romagna.
Furthermore, Cento and the nearby Pieve di Cento constitute a single urban area of over 43,000 inhabitants, called the "territory of centopievese". Although the city is known as a borderland, its strategic location make it easily accessible from the surrounding cities, and it is an interesting destination for anyone wishing to visit the province of Ferrara.
