HISTORY OF REGGIO EMILIA:
The history of Reggio Emilia began in the 2nd century BC, when Marcus Aemilius Lepidus built Via Aemilia, which made the connection between the Roman colonies of Placentia (Piacenza) and Ariminum (Rimini). Read More [...]
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Reggio was affected by the Barbarian invasions. In 476, the town was conquered by Odoacer, in 489 it came under Ostrogothic control, in 569 it was taken by the Lombards, and in 773 by the Franks of Charlemagne.
In 888, the town was handed over to the Kings of Italy, and in 899 the Magyars heavily damaged it. In 1002, Reggio's territory, together with that of Parma, Brescia, Modena, Mantua and Ferrara, were merged into the March of Tuscany, later ruled by Matilda of Canossa.
Reggio Emilia became a free commune around the end of the 11th century. In 1167, it was a member of the Lombard League and took part in the Battle of Legnano. In 1326, the town was annexed to the Papal States.
The city was subsequently under the domination of the della Scala family of Verona, of the Gonzaga family of Mantua, of the Visconti of Milan, and, from the beginning of the 15th century, of the Este family. In 1513, Reggio was handed over to Pope Julius II, but it was returned to the House of Este in 1523. The Este rule continued until 1796.
After the Napoleonic occupation, Reggio was given to the Austrians. In 1848, the town proclaimed its union with Piedmont. In 1859, Reggio Emilia became part of the united Italy and, after the plebiscite of 1860, it entered the newly created Kingdom of Italy.
GEOGRAPHY OF REGGIO EMILIA:
Today, Reggio Emilia is a city of about 172,000 inhabitants in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, and the capital of the province of Reggio Emilia. The territory of Reggio lies entirely on a plain, crossed by the Crostolo stream. Read More [...]
Reggio Emilia is located 25 kilometers west of Modena, 65 kilometers northwest of Bologna, 90 kilometers west of Ferrara, 110 kilometers south of Brescia, 140 kilometers west of Ravenna, 155 kilometers southeast of Milan, 160 kilometers northwest of Florence, 175 kilometers northwest of Rimini, 190 kilometers southwest of Venice and about the same distance east of Genoa, 450 kilometers northwest of Rome, and about 650 kilometers northwest of Naples.
TRANSPORT TO REGGIO EMILIA:
The closest airport is the Guglielmo Marconi International Airport, located about 60 kilometers away, on the outskirts of Bologna. Read More [...]
To get from the Bologna Airport to Reggio Emilia, you can take the special train Marconi Express to the Bologna Centrale railway station. Then, from the railway station, you can take a train to Reggio Emilia. The trip takes about 40 minutes, and the cheapest ticket costs 6.80€.
You can get to Reggio Emilia by train from Milan in about one hour and 40 minutes, from Rimini in about two hours and a quarter, and from Venice in about three hours and a half. The cheapest train ticket from Milan costs 13.50€, from Rimini is 14.80€, and from Venice costs 18.90€.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN REGGIO EMILIA:
The historical center of Reggio Emilia has the shape of a hexagon, and is crossed from west to east by Via Emilia. The hexagon represents the perimeter of the ancient fortification walls, demolished at the beginning of the 19th century. Read More [...]
The most important churches in the city are the Cathedral of Reggio Emilia, dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, the Basilica of the Madonna della Ghiara, built after the miracle of 1596, the Basilica of San Prospero, built starting with 1527, and the Baroque Oratory of Christ.
Other important landmarks in Reggio Emilia are the Municipal Theater Romolo Valli, built in Neoclassical style around the middle of the 19th century, the Ludovico Ariosto Theater, built starting with 1878, Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo, Palazzo del Comune, Palazzo Ducale, and the beautiful squares Piazza Camillo Prampolini, Piazza della Vittoria, and Piazza Martiri del 7 Luglio 1960.