Reggiolo marks the border on the Mantua Oltrepo area, north of Reggio Emilia.
Reggiolo was mentioned for the first time in 1044 in a document of the Canossa family and was the site of an important river port. It then passed to the Bonaccolsi family and the Gonzaga family, to the Duchy of which it was annexed until 1631, and then passed to Guastalla. In 1748, after the Aquisgrana peace treaty, the former Duchy of Guastalla was assigned to the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza, ruled by the Borboni. From 1847 to 1869 Reggiolo was annexed to the Duchy of Parma and Modena and become part of the Italian State.
Matilda di Canossa, one of the most powerful and influential women of the Middle Ages, died on the night between July 24 and 25, 1115 at Bondanazzo, formerly Bondeno di Roncore, in the Municipality of Reggiolo.
Now the town is mainly dedicated to craft and industrial activities, particularly focused on the construction, clothing, engineering and chemical industries.
The Fortress is the most important monument of Reggiolo, built in the first half of the XII century by the Municipality of Reggio Emilia to defend itself from the forces of Mantua who besieged it several times. It was modelled starting from 1242 according to the traditional medieval-enclosed castle form. It has a square plan structure, with four corner towers open towards the inside and two protruding southern towers. The big central tower, used as a fortified tower, to which the Florentine architect Luca Fancelli gave an important contribution during its restoration in 1470, maintains a stairway of 1405 used for putting artillery in storage.
The Palazzo Sartoretti (XVIII century), the delightful Giovanni Rinaldi theatre, counted among the first historic Italian theatres, and the Santa Maria Assunta Church are also worth visiting.
Pumpkin tortelli are a local gastronomic speciality of the area. They are pasta ravioli filled with boiled or baked pumpkin, amaretti biscuits, mostarda, cheese and nutmeg. They are seasoned with melted butter or sautéed onion and tomato. A traditional local dish for Christmas Eve dinner, the pumpkin tortelli became an officially recognized local product in 2019.
Reggiolo Festival - second weekend of July
Market, stalls with gastronomic products, performances.
Pumpkin Festival - third and fourth weekend of September
Gastronomic festival dedicated to the pumpkin. Tastings of pumpkin-based gastronomic specialities in local restaurants for lunch and dinner. Historical commemoration with medieval performances on the third and fourth Sunday of September.
