Let's Go To.... Emilia-Romagna!

Capital city of Bologna

The next stop on our tour of Italy is the region of Emilia-Romagna, located in north-central Italy, and home to the capital city of Bologna.

Emilia-Romagna, known as the “Belly of Italy”, produces some of the world’s most protected and celebrated gastronomy. Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, and traditional balsamic vinegar all hail from this region, and it serves as the birthplace of culinary favorites like ragù alla Bolognese (served with tagliatelle), tortellini in brodo and lasagna.

Tortellini in brodo

As one of the leading agricultural regions of Italy, both its culinary prowess and agricultural success can be attributed to Emilia-Romagna’s geography. Emilia-Romagna contains many rivers, all which flow from the Apennine mountains other than the Po river. The Po, the longest river in Italy, forms the northern natural boundary of Emilia-Romagna before it empties into the Adriatic Sea through a protected delta. It is in the wetlands of the Po River Delta where the rare, semi-wild Delta Horse can be found. While grapes are grown on the Apennine slopes, its broad lowland and adequate water supply make this region suitable for growing staple crops like wheat, corn, fodder, fruits and vegetables. Extensive livestock and dairy farming as well as food-processing and food-packing operations are vital to this region.

Agriculture in the Po River Valley

The name Emilia (formerly Aemilia) comes from the Via Aemilia, a Roman road that transected the region from Rimini (formerly Ariminium) to Piacenza (formerly Placentia). This area was referred to as such as early as the 1^st century CE and formed the eighth Augustan region of Italy. After the 3^rd century, the coastal city of Ravenna was no longer treated as part of Aemilia and later became the seat of a Byzantine exarchate in the 6^th century. Eventually, Frankish king Pippin III overtook various coastal cities in this area and gave them to the papacy in 755 under the name Romagna. Apart from a brief period of Napoleonic domination, the papacy continued to rule Romagna, Ferrara, and Bologna while the rest of the region was controlled by others. However, a period of continuous unrest and numerous attempts at revolt resulted in Emilia being passed to the Italian kingdom almost without resistance in 1860. The name of the region was officially changed to Emilia-Romagna in 1948.

While other regions of Italy like Lazio tend to outshine Emilia-Romagna regarding architecture, the region is filled with unique buildings and history that shouldn’t be overlooked. Starting with the capital, the University of Bologna was founded in 1088 and is the oldest continuously operating university in the world. Some of the best-preserved medieval castles in Italy are located around Parma and Piacenza. There are also many UNESCO World Heritage Sites throughout the region in historic cities like Ferrara, Modena, and Ravenna. Famous for its dazzling 5th- and 6th-century Byzantine mosaics which can be seen in buildings like the Basilica di San Vitale, the coastal city of Ravenna is not only rich in history but beauty as well.

Exterior of Basilica di San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy

Mosaics inside Basilica di San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy

We couldn’t introduce you to Emilia-Romagna without including another key aspect of what this region is known for- luxury cars (our other favorite kind of horsepower). Emilia Romagna is the historic and industrial heartland of high-performance luxury and supercar manufacturing. Iconic brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati are all rooted in this area around Modena and Bologna.

Check back soon on the BreyerFest Blog to learn more about another Italian region’s unique history and culture. Buon giornata!