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Information about Castelnovo Di Sotto in the Province of Reggio Emilia

A thriving agricultural and industrial centre located in the Reggio lowlands.The first document referring to the existence of the town dates back to 980 AD. It is a brief reference to a sale of land occurring in “Castronovum”. The town then formed part of the lands of vassals to the Canossa family. It later passed to the Da Correggio family. Before this date, between 800 and 900 AD, the area had been invaded by the Hungarian Gauls. This appears to be the period when the first castle was built – an extremely simple construction.

In 1200 it became a genuine fortress which, with the passage of time acquired the characteristics associated with a noble seat. This was the home of the Da Correggio family until 1800. Castelnovo then passed to the Visconti family and to Ottobono Terzi. The shifting fortunes of history saw the area under the rule of either the Da Correggio or Este family up to 1600. In the middle of the 17th century Castelnovo di Sotto passed to the Gherardini of Verona when the Duke Francesco d’Este sold the lands in 1652. The rule of the Gherardini ended with the coming of the French. After the end of the Napoleonic period the town passed to the Este family which maintained their power up to 1859. It became a free Comune (local council) with the Unification of Italy.

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