Lugo, Emilia-Romagna

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Lugo
Comune
Città di Lugo
The Este Castle.

Coat of arms
Lugo
Location of Lugo in Italy
Coordinates: 44°25′N 11°55′E / 44.417°N 11.917°E / 44.417; 11.917
Country Italy
Region Emilia-Romagna
Province Ravenna (RA)
Frazioni Ascensione, Belricetto, Bizzuno, Ca' di Lugo, Campanile, Chiesanuova, Ciribella, Giovecca, Malcantone, Passogatto, San Bernardino, San Lorenzo, San Potito, Santa Maria in Fabriago, Torre, Villa San Martino, Viola, Voltana, Zagonara
Government
 • Mayor Raffaele Cortesi (since 2004-06-13)
Area
 • Total 116 km2 (45 sq mi)
Elevation 15 m (49 ft)
Population (30 June 2009)
 • Total 32,770
 • Density 280/km2 (730/sq mi)
Demonym Lughesi
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 48022
Dialing code 0545
Patron saint St. Hilary of Galeata
Saint day May 15
Website Official website

Lugo is a town and comune in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, in the province of Ravenna.

History

A settlement in where is now the city is mentioned for the first time in 782 AD, but the names Lucus appears only in 1071. In 1161 it was a fief of the Counts of Cunio, but in 1202 it returned to the Papal States. It was later a possession of the Da Polenta, Pepoli, Visconti and Este; the latter maintained it until 1597, when the city was again annexed to the Papal States.

In 1424 the Castle of Zagonara (now destroyed) was the seat of the homonymous battle, in which a Milanese army defeated the Florentines.

When in 1797 the French revolutionary forces invaded northern Italy, Barnaba Chiaramonti (later pope as Pius VII), then still Bishop of Imola, addressed his flock to refrain from useless resistance to the overwhelming and threatening forces of the enemy. The town of Lugo refused to submit to the invaders and was delivered up to a pillage which had an end only when the prelate, who had counselled subjection, supplicantly cast himself on his knees before General Augereau.

In 1859, through plebiscite, Lugo joined the newly born Kingdom of Italy. During World War II, the Senio river formed the frontline between the German and Allied occupation areas from December 1944 until 10 April 1945. The city suffered heavy destruction but recovered quickly after the end of the conflict.

On 19 January 1993 the area near Lugo experienced an unexplained explosion event with a yield estimated at 10 kilotonnes of TNT (42 TJ).

Main sights

  • Rocca Estense (Este Castle), the Town Hall from 1797. The current appearance dates from 1500, when the old fortress was rebuilt; the eastern side was erected during the Napoleonic occupation. The interior houses portraits of famous lughesi, a lunette attributed to Mino da Fiesole and a noteworthy 19th-century garden.
  • The Pavaglione, former 19th century covered market (mainly known for silkworm trade).
  • The Oratorio of Croce Coperta, with 15th-century frescoes.
  • The 'Collegiata' church, rebuilt in the 18th century over a 13th-century Franciscan edifice, has a suggestive 15th-century cloister.
  • San Francesco di Paola (1890), houses a precious polychrome terracotta sculpture of Dead Christ (15th century).
  • Teatro Rossini, now a 445-seat opera house, completely restored between 1984 and 1986 based on its original conception from 1759 and restoration and expansion in 1821.

Notable people

Twin towns


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