Reggio Emilia is an Italian town of 172 124 inhabitants, the
capital of the province of the same name in Emilia-Romagna. Built at
the behest of the consul Marco Emilio Lepido along the Via Emilia,
the ancient Roman road that connected Piacenza to Rimini, Reggio
Emilia can boast the nickname of Città del Tricolore, as the Italian
flag, inspired by the banners of the Cispadana Republic, was born
and was exhibited for the first time in this city on January 7,
1797. The banner was displayed in the eighteenth-century Sala del
Tricolore of the town hall, in the same hall that today houses the
sessions of the municipal council.
Reggio, together with
nearby Parma and Modena, is the place of origin of the famous
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and is the cradle of the Reggio Emilia
Approach pedagogical teaching method that has made Reggio's
preschools famous all over the world. After the end of the Second
World War, Reggio was awarded the gold medal for military valor of
the Resistance due to the important role played by the city and its
inhabitants in the war of Italian liberation.
The current historical center
of the city is in the shape of an elongated hexagon, crossed by the
Via Emilia and has a predominantly sixteenth-eighteenth-century
imprint. The sides of the hexagon represent the sediment of the
perimeter of the ancient fortification walls, demolished in the
early nineteenth century and converted into urban avenues to allow
city expansion. The main monuments of the city are the Municipal
Theater, of neoclassical forms, dedicated to the memory of the
illustrious Reggio actor Romolo Valli, the Renaissance and Baroque
basilicas of San Prospero and the sanctuary of the Beata Vergine
della Ghiara, the Cathedral and many buildings from the medieval
period. and Renaissance scattered throughout the historic center.
The urban configuration of the squares in the heart of the city
is particularly interesting. The connection between the main square,
on which the Duomo stands and the town hall, called piazza
Prampolini, (Piàsa Granda: piazza Grande in Reggio) with piazza San
Prospero (Piàsa Céca: piazza Piccola in Reggiano) where the market
takes place is arcaded street named via del Broletto. Piazza
Prampolini is also connected with Piazza Casotti, which was once the
square of the so-called flea market (piàsa di Zavaj: piazza dei
Rigattieri in dialect) through another arcaded street. Also of
extreme importance is Piazza Fontanesi located in a less central
position and in the center of which there are several lime trees and
which is surrounded by arcades.
Also relevant are: the Via
Emilia, located on the original Roman city decuman, which in the
historic city center is completely flanked by palaces of
architectural value and is divided into two branches by the Piazza
del Monte; Corso Garibaldi, on the route of the ancient riverbed of
the Crostolo stream (deviated in ancient times outside the city
walls), near which the Basilica of the Madonna della Ghiara, the
Palazzo Ducale (currently the seat of the Province and the
Prefecture) and the Oratory of Christ. Finally, the public gardens
are also important, a nineteenth-century park with statues,
fountains planted on the area of the ancient military citadel, and
the adjacent squares of the theaters.
It is not difficult to
recognize the traces of Roman town planning (the Civic Museums
preserve interesting mosaic finds) and of the transformations that
took place in the Middle Ages. In particular, among the small
streets of the historic center, via San Carlo, via Toschi and via
Guido da Castello stand out.
Along the Via Emilia stands the
monumental complex of Mauriziano, which hosted the poet Ludovico
Ariosto. The Mauritian includes a fifteenth-century villa and a
park, which is accessed by a monumental arch.
In the
eighteenth-century hall of the Municipality of Reggio, called Sala
del Tricolore, the first tricolor of the Cispadana Republic (which
later became the Cisalpine Republic) was adopted from which the
current flag of the Italian Republic derives.
Reggio Emilia
is also characterized by modern architecture, the futuristic
Mediopadana High Speed Station and the Bridges, both monumental
creations of the famous Spanish engineer and architect Santiago
Calatrava, arise in the immediate outskirts of the city. As far as
industrial archeology is concerned, interesting examples of urban
redevelopment are provided by the Technopole obtained from a portion
of the disused factories of the Officine Reggiane and by the
contiguous space that houses the Loris Malaguzzi International
Center for Infancy obtained from the disused area of the former
Locatelli . The space of the disused Officine Reggiane is one of the
most degraded areas of the city.
Ancient and Roman Foundations (2nd Century BC – 5th Century AD)
The area shows evidence of prehistoric and protohistoric settlements,
but the city proper traces its origins to 187 BC. Roman consul Marcus
Aemilius Lepidus built the Via Aemilia, a major road linking Piacenza
(Placentia) to Rimini (Ariminum), and established a judicial and
administrative center with a forum called Regium Lepidi. It served as a
military station and flourishing municipium with its own statutes,
magistrates, and colleges of arts. Cicero and Festus referenced it in
their writings.
Christianity reached the area in the 1st century AD,
traditionally linked to Apollinaris of Ravenna. A bishopric was
established by the early 4th century, confirmed after the Edict of Milan
(313 AD), and placed under Ravenna's jurisdiction in 440 by Emperor
Valentinian III. By the late 4th century, however, the city had
declined, as Saint Ambrose described it among dilapidated urban centers.
The fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD brought successive
invasions: Odoacer, Ostrogoths (489 AD), Byzantines (539 AD), and
Lombards under Alboin (569 AD), who made it the seat of the Duchy of
Reggio.
Early Middle Ages: Invasions, Bishops, and Feudal Ties
(6th–11th Centuries)
Lombard rule gave way to Frankish conquest in
773 AD. Charlemagne granted authority to the local bishop in 781,
setting diocesan boundaries. The city passed to the Kings of Italy by
888 but suffered severe damage from Magyar (Hungarian) raids in 899–900,
which killed Bishop Azzo II and prompted new defensive walls. Emperor
Louis III authorized a central castrum (fortress) in 900. In 1002,
Reggio's territory was incorporated into the March of Tuscany alongside
Parma, Brescia, Modena, Mantua, and Ferrara; it later came under the
protection of the powerful counts of Canossa, including the legendary
Matilda of Canossa.
Free Commune and Medieval Prosperity (Late
11th–14th Centuries)
Reggio emerged as a free commune around the late
11th or early 12th century. It joined the Lombard League in 1167 and
fought in the pivotal Battle of Legnano (1176) against Emperor Frederick
Barbarossa. The 1183 Peace of Constance brought imperial recognition and
a golden age: new statutes, a mint, renowned schools, expanded trade and
arts, and control over nearby castles. Urban growth included diverting
the Crostolo stream westward, creating new districts like the Corso
della Ghiara (now Corso Garibaldi).
Internal factionalism marked the
era—Guelph vs. Ghibelline struggles, plus local rivalries between noble
families (e.g., Scopazzati vs. Mazzaperlini, later Ruggeri vs.
Malaguzzi). Wars with Parma (1152) and Modena (1225) occurred amid these
tensions. A 1260 mass pilgrimage of 25,000 penitents briefly fostered
peace and religious fervor. Ghibellines eventually dominated, clashing
with the bishop and leading to new factions (Inferiori vs. Superiori).
To curb powerful families like the Sessi, Fogliani, and Canossa, the
city briefly appointed Obizzo II d'Este as ruler. Short-lived republics
and external overlords followed: John of Bohemia, Nicolò Fogliani,
Mastino II della Scala (who passed it to Luigi Gonzaga in 1336), and the
Visconti of Milan. In 1326, Cardinal Bertrando del Poggetto briefly
annexed it to the Papal States.
Duchy of Reggio under the Este
Family (1409–1796)
From 1409 onward, Reggio fell under the House of
Este (rulers of Ferrara and later Modena). In 1452, Borso d'Este
received the ducal title from Emperor Frederick III, formalizing the
Duchy of Modena and Reggio. Este rule brought relative stability and
Renaissance cultural patronage despite heavy taxes. Poets like Matteo
Maria Boiardo served as governors, and Ludovico Ariosto (author of
Orlando Furioso) was born in Reggio in 1474 in the Malaguzzi palace; he
later governed from the villa Il Mauriziano. The city briefly passed to
Pope Julius II in 1513 but returned to the Este after 1523. Defenses
were strengthened under Ercole II in 1551, and the Baroque Basilica
della Ghiara (1597–1619) was built on a miracle site. Este rule lasted
until the French Revolution, with minor interruptions in the early 18th
century.
A notable Jewish community flourished from the early 15th
century (mostly Sephardic refugees), with a synagogue and ghetto
established in 1672. Scholars like the Foa and Bassani families
contributed significantly until later declines.
Napoleonic Era,
Risorgimento, and the Birth of the Italian Flag (1796–1861)
French
Revolutionary troops arrived in 1796 to local welcome. On 7 January
1797, representatives from Reggio, Modena, Bologna, and Ferrara
proclaimed the Cispadane Republic in Reggio's Municipal Palace (Sala del
Tricolore). They adopted the red-white-green tricolor—sewn by local
women—as the national banner, symbolizing liberty, equality, and
fraternity. This event marks the official birth of the Italian flag,
decades before full unification. Polish officer Józef Wybicki composed
what became Poland's national anthem here.
Napoleon’s forces clashed
with Austrians nearby (Battle of Montechiarugolo, 1796). After the 1815
Congress of Vienna restored Este rule under Francis IV, revolutions
flared: 1831 (led locally by General Carlo Zucchi) and 1848–49. Reggio
joined Piedmont temporarily but faced restoration until 1859, when it
united with the Kingdom of Italy under Luigi Carlo Farini. A 1860
plebiscite confirmed annexation.
Contemporary History: Industrial
Growth, Socialism, War, and Innovation (19th–21st Centuries)
The late
19th and early 20th centuries brought demographic and economic expansion
(population reached ~70,000 by 1911). Ancient walls were demolished for
modern growth. Reggio developed a strong socialist tradition, hosting
key Italian Socialist Party congresses. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
production, rooted in medieval monastic traditions in the Po Valley
plains, became a cornerstone of the local economy (formal protections
emerged in the 20th century).
World War II brought devastation
through bombings and occupation. The city played a major role in the
Italian Resistance; partisan bands formed after Mussolini’s fall in
1943. For its contributions, Reggio received the Gold Medal for Military
Valor in 1950. Post-liberation (April 1945), local women and communities
rebuilt amid rubble, laying groundwork for progressive social
initiatives.
In the post-war era, under socialist-communist local
governance, Reggio pioneered municipal early childhood education.
Parents (especially women from the Italian Women’s Union) built the
first schools from war debris, selling abandoned military equipment to
fund them. Loris Malaguzzi became the key pedagogical figure. The first
municipal preschool opened in 1963, followed by infant-toddler centers
in 1971. This evolved into the world-renowned Reggio Emilia Approach,
emphasizing children as capable, rights-bearing individuals who learn
through "a hundred languages" (creativity, relationships, exploration).
It gained global acclaim (e.g., Newsweek recognition in 1991) and
influences education in over 145 countries.
Today, Reggio Emilia
thrives as a prosperous, inclusive city—named a European Capital of
Inclusion and Diversity in 2023. Its hexagonal historic center reflects
old walls; landmarks include the Cathedral (with Roman mosaics),
Basilica della Ghiara, Parmeggiani Gallery, and the Tricolore Hall.
Modern icons feature Santiago Calatrava-designed infrastructure like the
Mediopadana station ("the Wave"). It balances heritage, industry,
culture (e.g., photography festivals), and quality of life.
Reggio Emilia is among the cities decorated with military
valor for the War of Liberation, awarded the gold medal for military
valor on 1 April 1950, for the sacrifices of its populations and for
its activity in the partisan struggle during the Second World War:
Gold medal for military valor
During the enemy occupation he
opposed the invading German with the fierce resistance of his sons,
who flocked in large numbers to the partisan formations engaged in
hard and bloody struggle. Five hundred fallen in combat, entire
municipalities destroyed, populations tortured and subjected to the
most ruthless terror, mass deportations, inhuman massacres and cruel
persecutions, constitute the tragic, but luminous, outcome of a
persevering and courageous activity which began in September 1943
and ended with the defeat of the occupying forces. Mindful of
secular noble traditions, reaffirmed in the epic of the
Risorgimento, the City of Reggio Emilia has been able to conclude a
renewed cycle of struggles for freedom and independence and offer
the homeland a generous tribute of sacrifice and blood. "
-
September 1943, April 1945
Location and Setting
The city lies at coordinates 44°42′N 10°38′E
(approximately 44.700°N, 10.633°E), about 50 km west of Bologna, 25 km
southeast of Parma, and roughly 60 km south of the Po River. It sits
along the historic Roman Via Aemilia (now the Via Emilia), an ancient
road that has long connected the region. The city's elevation is 58 m
(190 ft) above sea level, with the broader comune (municipality)
spanning about 231 km² entirely on a flat plain. The province of Reggio
Emilia covers 2,292 km² across 42 municipalities and has a population of
around 530,000; it stretches from the Po River boundary in the north
(separating it from Mantua province) to the Apennine ridge in the south,
bordering Tuscany and Liguria.
The commune's territory is uniformly
flat alluvial plain, formed by sediment deposits from rivers draining
the Apennines into the Po basin. This setting supports intensive
agriculture (grains, vineyards for Lambrusco, and dairy for
Parmigiano-Reggiano).
Topography of the City and Immediate
Surrounds
Reggio Emilia's urban core occupies a perfectly flat plain,
crossed by the Crostolo stream (a torrente, or seasonal stream). In the
12th century, engineers diverted the Crostolo westward to expand the
city; its former gravelly bed became Corso Garibaldi, an avenue in the
historic center. The old town retains a distinctive hexagonal layout
from its ancient defensive walls. Elevation across the city and
immediate area stays low (roughly 29–135 m), with no significant hills
within the urban comune.
North of the city, the landscape remains
broad, low-lying Po Plain farmland with slow-moving rivers and
irrigation canals. Southward, the terrain gradually rises into foothills
and eventually the Apennines within the wider province.
Provincial Landscape Diversity: Plains to Mountains
The province
offers striking variety over a short distance:
Northern plains —
Broad, fertile lowlands influenced by the Po River and its tributaries.
These are ideal for agriculture and feature Renaissance-planned towns.
Central rolling hills — Transitional zone with gentle slopes, vineyards,
and scattered woodlands.
Southern Apennines (Appennino Reggiano or
Tosco-Emiliano) — Rugged, forested mountains rising sharply. This
section belongs to the Parco Nazionale dell'Appennino Tosco-Emiliano
(established 2001, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve), accessible via the
winding SS63 road from Reggio toward La Spezia. The highest peak in the
area is Monte Cusna (2,121 m), with other notable summits like Monte
Cimone (2,165 m) nearby.
A standout landmark is the Pietra di
Bismantova (1,047 m), an isolated sandstone and calcarenite plateau
(about 1 km long and 240 m wide) rising dramatically 300+ m above
surrounding hills near Castelnovo ne' Monti (~45 km south of the city).
Its sheer cliffs and mesa-like form make it a hiking and climbing icon,
even referenced by Dante in the Divine Comedy. The Apennines here
feature sandstone spurs, ophiolitic crags, Triassic gypsum outcrops
(especially in the Secchia Valley with karst features like swallow holes
and caves), and forested slopes of chestnut, oak, and beech.
Hydrology and Rivers
All drainage in the province flows northward
into the Po River basin. Key waterways include:
Crostolo — Originates
in the Apennines, flows through Reggio Emilia's center (now partly
canalized/controlled), and joins the Po system.
Enza and Secchia —
Major Apennine-fed rivers forming broad alluvial fans in the plains; the
Secchia features notable gypsum gorges and wide gravel beds.
These rivers have historically shaped settlement (e.g., Reggio was
founded along the Crostolo in the 2nd century BC) and occasionally
caused flooding, though modern embankments and diversions mitigate
risks. The plains' rich alluvial soils result directly from these river
deposits.
Climate
Reggio Emilia has a temperate continental
climate (Köppen Cfa, sometimes described as humid subtropical),
influenced by the Po Valley's enclosure by mountains and the Adriatic
Sea to the east. Summers are hot and humid (often exceeding 35°C/95°F in
July/August, with July mean daily maximum ~32°C). Winters are cold and
foggy (frequent frosts, lows below -10°C/14°F possible in January, with
January mean daily minimum ~1°C). Annual average high is ~19–20°C, low
~10–11°C.
Precipitation totals ~700–850 mm/year, distributed fairly
evenly but with peaks in April, October, and November (driest months:
January and July). Snow is common but rarely accumulates deeply in the
city due to mild valley temperatures; thick fog (especially
autumn/winter) was historically more prevalent in the plains. Winds are
generally light, though the southwest Libeccio can bring hot, dry
downslope conditions from the Apennines, and rare Foehn winds arrive
from the Alps.
Detailed 1991–2020 averages (city):
Annual mean
temperature: ~15.2°C
Annual precipitation: ~706 mm
Wettest month:
November (~93 mm)
Driest: January/July (~36 mm)
This climate
supports lush vegetation in the plains and varied ecosystems in the
mountains.