THE’Emilia-Romagna it is one of the best-known Italian regions in the world. Homeland of celebrities automotive brands such as Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini, and known as foodvalley Italian for having given birth to some gods products culinary best known and loved on the planet (lasagne, Parma ham, Parmigiano Reggiano, tagliatelle with meat sauce, Balsamic Vinegar of Modena etc.), this land has contributed to defining the identity of our country even abroad. Summarizing its main geographical characteristics, we remember that it has as its capital Bolognaa surface of 22,451 km2 and a population of 4,465,270 inhabitants. We see 10 curiosities that distinguish it.
10 curiosities about Emilia-Romagna
1. Why does Emilia-Romagna have two names?
Emilia-Romagna is one of those regions that has a composite name, which indicates the co-presence of two different territories with heterogeneous characteristics. THE’Emily it’s one region historical which corresponds, roughly, to the northern portion of the entire region and which includes the Apennine belt and the part of the Po Valley that extends below the Po river. It owes its name to the passage of the away Aemiliaancient Roman road, built to connect Ariminumthat is, Rimini, with Placentiai.e. Piacenza, and whose route is still being followed today.
There Romagna it is instead that part of the region that stretches towards the south-east, between the green hilly strip and the long stretch of low, sandy coast. Even the name of this historical region has its roots in Latin: it derives from Romaniawith which, in the 5th century AD, the names of the territories inhabited by the Romans began to be generically identified.
2. The numbers of Emilia-Romagna
Emilia-Romagna is a region of Northwhich extends with a vaguely triangular shape in an area between the Po river (to the north), the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines (to the west and south-west) and the Adriatic Sea (to the east). With a surface of 22,501.82 km2is among the largest regions in Italy, as well as one of the most populous in the country, with 4,455,188 inhabitants (Istat data 2024). This results in a density of 198 inhabitants/km2a figure slightly higher than the national average. The territory is divided into 330 municipalities, incorporated into 9 provinces and the metropolitan city of Bologna.
3. The birth of the Italian flag in Reggio nell’Emilia
There flag of the Italian Republicalso known as Tricolorwas born in Reggio nell’Emilia, in the midst of the Napoleonic period. On 7 January 1797 the Italian flag made its appearance as the flag of Cispadane Republica satellite state of the French Republic and located in northern Italy. Our flag is inspired by the French one, but over time different colors have been adopted, in relation to the traditions of Northern Italy: the white and the red they were part of the ancient municipal coat of arms of Milan (characterized by a red cross on a white background), while the green it was the historic uniform of the Milanese civic guard. These colors have become the standard of Legion Italianfrom which the Cispadane Republic would later derive its flag.
4. The Food Valley Italian
THE products food and wine and the specialty of Emilia-Romagna are known and appreciated throughout the world, so much so that the region has been defined as the food valley (“food valley”) of Italy. Parmigiano Reggiano, Parma ham, Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, Piadina Romagnola and many other products and many other dishes based on fresh pasta, meat and cured meats can in all respects be recognized as national and international heritage. The region boasts a large number of products DOP And PGIoriginating from a historical link between territory, nature, culture and traditions.
5. The oldest university in Europe
THE’Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna it’s theEurope’s oldest university and of the entire Western world, although, by some, it is even considered theoldest university in the world (if considered in the modern meaning of the term, surpassing the ancient Arab university al-Qarawiyyinin Morocco, founded in 859 as a mosque). It has been active, in fact, since the 11th century, to be precise since 1088and experienced great development in the following century thanks to teachings oriented to sector legal. Over the most recent decades, the University of Bologna’s offerings have widely diversified.
6. The smallest “volcano” in Italy
On the Mt Buscain the province of Forlì-Cesena, is located Smallest “volcano” in Italy. Anyone who ventures into the green Tuscan-Emilian Apennines could in fact come across a truly particular phenomenon: a hearth perennial erupts from a crack in the ground giving life to a fountain ardent. This fiery fountain features a gas leak (hydrocarbons) which, in contact with air, they ignite spontaneously.
In reality it is a false myth: it is in fact true that the methane comes out of the soil of Monte Busca giving rise to high flames, similar to a camping bonfire, but all this has nothing to do with a true volcanic phenomenon nor, much less, with a real volcano originating from the solidification of lava flows.
7. The longest porch in the world
In addition to the oldest university in the Western world, Bologna boasts another record: that of longest porch in the world. The Emilian capital is, in fact, well known for the porticoes that wind through the streets of the centre, but also outside the city centre, so much so that Bologna is known by the nickname of city of arcades: no other city in the world has so many and these open galleries reach a total length of plus 60 kilometers. Among these, the portico of Saint Luke comes to measure well 3.8 kilometerswho, with his over 600 archesboasts the title of longest porch in the world.
Given the architectural and cultural value, the porticoes of Bologna were included in the list of UNESCO world heritage sites in 2021.
8. The largest labyrinth in the world
And to give another record to Emilia-Romagna we cannot fail to mention the largest labyrinth in the world: The Masone Labyrinth. We are talking about an intricate series of passages and tunnels that wind between high walls bamboonear the small town of Fountainin the province of Parma.
This labyrinth covers an area of approximately 7 hectares (70,000 square meters) and includes bamboo plants up to 15 meterswhich make up a suggestive and impenetrable wall. The labyrinth is part of a park cultural and hosts exhibitions, events and initiatives of various kinds.
9. Ravenna, three times capital
Everyone knows the historical and cultural importance of Ravennaa city which, among other things, welcomed Dante Alighieri in the last years of his life and which still today preserves the remains of the famous poet. A less well-known fact, however, is the importance that Ravenna had in the various kingdoms that alternated in the Peninsula between the end of the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages. The city was indeed well three times capital: of theWestern Roman Empire (between 402 and 476), del Kingdom of the Ostrogoths (between 493 and 540) and ofExarchate of Italy of the Byzantine Kingdom (between 584 and 751).
It goes without saying that, thanks to the importance it has had for the different populations that have inhabited our country, Ravenna today includes a immense historical and artistic heritage and the early Christian monuments of Ravenna have been part of the UNESCO world heritage list since 1996.
10. The Romagna piadina
There piadina it is one of the best known products of the Romagna tradition: a thin focaccia based on wheat (grain), lard or olive oil, salt And waterfall. It is a very simple and poor preparation, typical of the peasant tradition, and which has its roots in the distant past. In fact, the first traces of similar preparations date back to the time of Etruscans (10th century BC – 1st century BC) who extended their dominion over the territories of central Italy.
The recipe for the Romagna piadina has changed little over the centuries, being characterized as dish humble as a substitute for bread, but always highly appreciated in tradition, so much so that the decadent poet John Pastures he defined it as “Bread, or rather the national food of the Romagna people”.
