Fontanellato

Fontanellato
Comune di Fontanellato
Rocca Sanvitale
Rocca Sanvitale
Coat of arms of Fontanellato
Location of Fontanellato
Map
Fontanellato is located in Italy
Fontanellato
Fontanellato
Location of Fontanellato in Italy
Fontanellato is located in Emilia-Romagna
Fontanellato
Fontanellato
Fontanellato (Emilia-Romagna)
Coordinates: 44°53′N 10°11′E / 44.883°N 10.183°E / 44.883; 10.183
CountryItaly
RegionEmilia-Romagna
ProvinceParma (PR)
FrazioniAlbareto, Cannetolo, Casalbarbato, Ghiara, Ghiara Sabbioni, Grugno, Parola, Paroletta, Priorato, Rosso, Sanguinaro, Toccalmatto
Government
 • MayorLuigi Spinazzi
Area
 • Total53 km2 (20 sq mi)
Elevation
45 m (148 ft)
Population
 (31 May 2022)[2]
 • Total7,003
 • Density130/km2 (340/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
43012
Dialing code0521
WebsiteOfficial website

Fontanellato (Parmigiano: Funtanlè) is a small town in the province of Parma, in northern Italy. It lies on the plains of the River Po near the A1 autostrada, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) west of Parma towards Piacenza.

The town was built up in the 15th century around the moated and fortified house of the Sanvitale family, the Rocca Sanvitale, on the borders of the domain of the Dukes of Parma. The house was occupied by the family until 1951, when it was sold to the commune. One notable feature of the Rocca Sanvitale is a room which serves as a large Camera Obscura in which a small hole acts as a lens causing an image of an outside scene to be projected inside the room.

The shrine to the Madonna del Rosario commemorates a succession of miracles beginning in 1628.

One of the main attractions of the town is the Labirinto della Masone, once the largest maze in the world, built by native son Franco Maria Ricci totally from Bamboo.[3]

  1. ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. ^ All demographics and other statistics: Italian statistical institute Istat.
  3. ^ "Franco Maria Ricci — Stories Apartamento Magazine". 11 May 2018.