Fontanellato

Fontanellato
Comune
Comune di Fontanellato

Sanctuary of Beata Vergine del santo Rosario

Coat of arms
Fontanellato

Location of Fontanellato in Italy

Coordinates: 44°53′N 10°11′E / 44.883°N 10.183°E / 44.883; 10.183Coordinates: 44°53′N 10°11′E / 44.883°N 10.183°E / 44.883; 10.183
Country Italy
Region Emilia-Romagna
Province Parma (PR)
Frazioni Albareto, Cannetolo, Casalbarbato, Ghiara, Ghiara Sabbioni, Grugno, Parola, Paroletta, Priorato, Rosso, Sanguinaro, Toccalmatto
Government
  Mayor Maria Grazia Guareschi
Area
  Total 53 km2 (20 sq mi)
Elevation 45 m (148 ft)
Population (31 May 2007)[1]
  Total 6,624
  Density 120/km2 (320/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 43012
Dialing code 0521
Website Official website

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 (12 mi) west of Parma towards Piacenza.

The town was built up in the 15th century around the 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 with stone facings and neo-classical features next to the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of the Holy Rosary, intended for an orphanage (but never used as such), was the Prisoner of War Camp PG 49. It is now a centre for neurological disorders. From here 600 Allied officers and men escaped, thanks to the decision by the Commandant, Colonel Eugenio Vicedomini, to open the gates the day after the Armistice of 8 September 1943.[2] On 69 September 2013, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of this event a conference was held in the Rocca on prisoners of war in World War II, with other celebrations and commemorations, jointly by the town and the Monte San Martino Trust.

Twin cities

Fontanellato is twinned with:

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

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, March 09, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.