Rottofreno

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Comune di Rottofreno
Municipal coat of arms
Country	Italy
Region	Emilia-Romagna
Province	Piacenza (PC)
Mayor	Giulio Maserati

Elevation	65 m
Area	34.5 km²
Population
- Total (as of 2004-12-31)	9,670
- Density	280/km²
Time zone	CET, UTC+1
Coordinates	45°3′N 9°33′E
Gentilic
Dialing code	0523
Postal code	29010
Frazioni	San Nicolò a Trebbia, Santimento, Centora


Location of Rottofreno in Italy

Rottofreno is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Piacenza in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 160 km northwest of Bologna and about 12 km west of Piacenza.

Rottofreno borders the following municipalities: Borgonovo Val Tidone, Calendasco, Chignolo Po, Gragnano Trebbiense, Monticelli Pavese, Piacenza, Sarmato.

The main settlement of the comune is San Nicolò, which has more inhabitants than Rottofreno proper.

[edit] Name

According to a legend, the name (meaning "Broken bit") derives from an event occurred during the Carthaginian invasion of Italy (218-201 BC), when Hannibal allegedly broke here the bit of his horse. The event is also remember in the city's coat of arms. In reality the origin of the name are the from the Lombard roth ("glory") and fridu ("friendship", "safeness").