HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Brescello (; in the local dialect, in the Reggio Emilia dialect) is a ''
comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...
'' (municipality) in the
Province of Reggio Emilia The province of Reggio Emilia (; Emilian: ''pruvînsa ed Rèz'') is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The capital city, which is the most densely populated ''comune'' (municipality) in the province, is Reggio Emilia. It has an ...
in the Italian region
Emilia-Romagna Emilia-Romagna (, , both , ; or ; ) is an Regions of Italy, administrative region of northern Italy, comprising the historical regions of Emilia (region), Emilia and Romagna. Its capital is Bologna. It has an area of , and a population of 4.4 m ...
, located about northwest of
Bologna Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the List of cities in Italy, seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its M ...
and about northwest of
Reggio Emilia Reggio nell'Emilia (; ), usually referred to as Reggio Emilia, or simply Reggio by its inhabitants, and known until Unification of Italy, 1861 as Reggio di Lombardia, is a city in northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has about 172,51 ...
. As of 31 December 2016, it had a population of 5,621.


Geography

Situated in the northwestern side of the province, close to the borders with the provinces of Parma and
Mantua Mantua ( ; ; Lombard language, Lombard and ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Italian region of Lombardy, and capital of the Province of Mantua, eponymous province. In 2016, Mantua was designated as the "Italian Capital of Culture". In 2 ...
(Mantua is in
Lombardy The Lombardy Region (; ) is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in northern Italy and has a population of about 10 million people, constituting more than one-sixth of Italy's population. Lombardy is ...
), Brescello lies on the southern shore of the river Po, near the confluence with the Enza. The municipality borders Boretto, Gattatico, Mezzani, Poviglio, Sorbolo and Viadana. It counts the hamlets ( ''frazioni'') of Ghiarole, Lentigione and Sorbolo a Levante.


History

Located near the Po river, remains of this ancient town's Roman roots – it was called Brixellum or Brixillum during the Roman era – can still be seen in the ''Antiquarium'', via Cavallotti 12 (a former Benedictine monastery), where ancient Roman relics and sculptures are on display. A bishop Cyprianus of Brixillum was present at a synod held in Milan in 451, but the bishopric came to an end when in the early 7th century the Byzantines destroyed the town to prevent it falling into the hands of the Lombard king Agilulf. No longer a residential bishopric, Brixillum is now listed by the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
as a
titular see A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbi ...
. Today, the town is most famous for being the set for the film series of Peppone and Don Camillo, played by Gino Cervi and Fernandel and based on the books by Giovannino Guareschi. Brescello has dedicated a museum to these two characters, which houses many props, including a tank which was used in a scene from ''Don Camillo e l'onorevole Peppone'' (" Don Camillo's Last Round").


Main sights


Church of Santa Maria Nascente

The current church was rebuilt between 1829 and 1837 replacing the ancient medieval church that once stood here. Inside it has a nave and two aisles with six side altars, three on each side, with large archways that divide the nave from the aisles, and an impressive wooden crucifix by Bruno Avesani. On the side of the main altar, there is a plaster statue of Padre Pio made by the local sculptor Carlo Pisi, and in the curvature of the apse, there is the chorus seating made from inlaid wood, with a large painting by Carlo Zatti above it. The original altar is now located in the central chapel in the left aisle. Near it is the wooden, carved, gold-leaf central pulpit. The facade, dominated by the 1896 bell tower, has two statues, one of the Virgin and one of the patron Saint Genesius, both by Innocente Franceschini, and placed on the facade in 1899. The bell tower has five bells. On the night of April 5, 2010, a fire destroyed a modern altar and damaged some furniture.


Former monastery of San Benedetto

This Benedictine monastery was built in the 15th century for the secluded monks of the Saint Benedict order, who remained there until the beginning of the Cisalpine Republic. Completely renovated, it is now home to a Cultural Center which houses the Museum of Peppone and Don Camillo, a day care, the library, the Municipal Council, the Auser Center and the Municipal Police.


Parco Giovannino Guareschi

Adjacent to the Museum, is a park where the remaining part of the original church of the old cloister of the Benedictine monks can be seen. In the center of the park there is the bust of Giovannino Guareschi, inaugurated in 1995.


People

* Antonio Panizzi, patriot, librarian and bibliographer * Mario Nizolio, philosopher and scholar


Events


Brescello Film Festival

Begun in 2003, the festival is dedicated to documentaries and works of fiction that focus on Italy: its places, environment, traditions, values and culture. The event is promoted by the Municipality of Brescello together with the Pro Loco Association and the Videoclub of Brescello, with the patronage of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Cultural Activities and Heritage. The 2015 festival was held on June 20–23.


La Notte dell'Imperatore - Brixellum Romanorum – Historical Reenactment

This two-day event, taking place in June every other year, is an historical reenactment organised by the local archeological society. The event is organised to celebrate and remember the events which connect the village to the Roman emperor Otho (who committed suicide there). During the event it is possible to experience how life in Ancient Rome was thanks to the many workshops, the ludi, the traditional market on the main square and the traditional dinner taking place during the evening. The 2015 edition was held on June 13–14.


References


External links


Official website
{{authority control Cities and towns in Emilia-Romagna