Guastalla

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Comune di Guastalla
Municipal coat of arms
Country	Italy
Region	Emilia-Romagna
Province	Reggio Emilia (RE)
Mayor	Mario Dallasta (since June 14, 2004)

Elevation	24 m
Area	52.5 km²
Population
- Total (as of December 31, 2005)	14,600
- Density	268/km²
Time zone	CET, UTC+1
Coordinates	44°55′N, 10°40′E
Gentilic	Guastallesi
Dialing code	0522
Postal code	42016
Frazioni	San Giacomo, San Martino, San Girolamo, San Rocco, Tagliata
Patron	St. Francis
- Day	October 4
Location of Gustalla in Italy
Website: www.comune.guastalla.re.it

Guastalla is a town and commune in the province of Reggio Emilia in Emilia-Romagna, Italy.

[edit] History

The area of Guastalla was probably settled by Etruscans as early as the 7th century BCE, but the name of the city is mentioned for the first time in 864 CE. Of Lombard origin, the city was ruled by the Torelli family from 1406 to 1539, when it became the capital of a duchy under the Gonzaga family and housed artists like Guercino and Torquato Tasso.

In 1748, by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, the city became part of the Duchy of Parma, Piacenza e Guastalla, to which it belonged until 1847.

Since the unification of Italy in 1861 Guastalla has been a part of Italy.

[edit] Main sights

The Cathedral (16th century) by Francesco da Volterra.
The Ducal Palace (1567).
The Civic Theatre Ruggero Ruggeri (1671).
The Town Hall.
The octagonal Oratory of Madonna della Concezione.
The church of Santa Maria dei Servi, designed by Francesco da Volterra. Noteworthy in the interior is a Deposition, canvas by Giuseppe Maria Crespi.
The Civic Tower (18th century), in the location where once was the Spanish Castle

In the Guastalla communal territory is also home to:

The Romanesque Oratory of St. George (probably from the 9th century).
The Basilica of St. Peter at Pieve di Guastalla, which was seat of two Roman Catholic councils. It houses an ancient baptismal font (9th century) and painted terracotta portraying the Madonna with Child, attributed to Guido Mazzoni.