Fontanellato

Fontanellato is a small town in the province of Parma, in northern Italy. It lies on the plains of the River Po near the A1 autostrada, about 20 kilometres west of Parma towards Piacenza.

The town was built up around the 15th century moated and fortified house of the Sanvitale family, the Rocca Sanvitale, on the borders of the domain of the Dukes of Parma. The house was occupied by the family until 1951, when it was sold to the commune.

The shrine to the Madonna del Rosario commemorates a succession of miracles beginning in 1628.

During World War II a large brick building next to the Sanctuary of Beata Vergine del santo Rosario, intended for an orphanage (but never used as such), was the Prisoner of War Camp PG 49, from where 600 British officers and men escaped, thanks to the connivance of the Commandant, Colonel Eugenio Vicedomini, the day after the Armistice of September 1943.^[2]

Twin cities

Fontanellato is twinned with:

• Kißlegg, Germany
• Falköping, Sweden

References

1. ^ All demographics and other statistics: Italian statistical institute Istat.
2. ^ Eric Newby, Love and War in the Apennines (1971); Tom Carver, Where the hell have you been? (2009); http://www.birminghampost.net/tm_headline=not-too-much-hardship-at-fontanellato&method=full&objectid=18667800&siteid=50002-name_page.html

External links

• Fontanellato tourist office (Italian)
• Comune di Fontanellato (Italian)
• History of Fontanellato