Castelnovo di Sotto

Information

Altitude: 27 m
Inhabitants: 8.439 (updated to January 1, 2015)
Post Code: 42024
Patron Saint: Sant'Andrea (November 30)
Weekly market day: Monday
Hamlets: Cogruzzo, Meletole, San Savino

Contacts

0039 0522 485711 - Municipality
Comune di Castelnovo di Sotto

How to get there

Castelnovo di Sotto

By car
A1 motorway, exit Terre di Canossa-Campegine: follow signs to Castelnovo di Sotto-Poviglio.
A22 motorway, exit Reggiolo: follow signs for Guastalla and Gualtieri. It is possible to reach Castelnovo di Sotto from Gualtieri through the districts of Santa Vittoria and Meletole.

By bus
Daily service from Reggio Emilia, Piazzale Europa: bus No. 93.

Location

The Municipality of Castelnovo di Sotto is located 15 km from Reggio Emilia, to the north west.

Historical notes

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, over the 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 XVII 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 municipality after the Unification of Italy.

Reasons to visit

The town centre is characterized by the long main street of the town with porticoed houses and the IX-century Fortress which reveals its castle-based origins.
The Beata Vergine della Misericordia Church contains XVII-century canvases from the Po River valley, including the Birth of the Virgin by Lionello Spada and the Crucifixion by Palma the Young.

When to go

In February during the Carnival period when a very important event is held: the “Castlein” Carnival, with a parade of floats and masks, famous all over the country.

Not to be missed

The Carnival mask Museum, a documentation and research centre, with antique metal moulds and original plaster models, and the Old Corking machines Museum, with almost 300 old corking machines (from 1600 to 1950) and items of historical interest associated with wine bottling.

Events

Carnival - February
Parades of gigantic floats, masked groups, musical performances and gastronomic events.

Horse Festival - Second Sunday of April
Games and attractions in the square, fun fair, market stands.

Sant'Andrea Festival - Last weekend of November
Open market, funfair, sports and recreational events, exhibitions.

Useful links

• Museums in Castelnovo di Sotto
• Churches in Castelnovo di Sotto
• Where to stay in Castelnovo di Sotto
• Where to eat in Castelnovo di Sotto
• All files of Castelnovo di Sotto