Castelnovo ne' Monti - Italy

Castelnovo ne' Monti (RE)

Emilia Romagna (Italy)

Walking among the historic buildings and districts
Lying at the foot of three hills covered with conifers, Mount Castle (where you collect the old part of town), Monte and Monte Forco Bagnolo, Castelnuovo ne 'Monti still retains its ancient soul.
A short pollarded tower, remains of walls and other ruins overlooking Mount Castle takes its name from the ruins of which still are on top.
Not far from the old town center, on a hill overlooking the village, is one of the buildings up valuable land, the Church of Campiliola, one of the most important of the Diocese of Reggio Emilia. Known since 980, in the early centuries of the Mille had many donations that make up the vast legacy. The building dates back to Roman times, but was modified in the seventeenth century in the style of the time and still today we can recognize the typical stylistic features.
Entering the village, coming from Reggio Emilia, we find the district Bagnolo, with the interesting Ducal Palace built by Francesco IV d'Este between 1820 and 1830. The building and the district Bagnolo are now home to several services: the new exhibition halls, a public library with a wealth of 35 thousand volumes (networking with other libraries in the province), the Music Institute of Higher Education Music Claudio Merulo, hospital S. Anna, opened in 1931, the only hospital in the Apennines Reggiano reference health center in the province.
Gradually, you come along Via Roma to Piazza Peretti entrance door of the old town, old town core, where the narrow streets recently refurbished open to quiet squares (Piazza Unità d'Italy, Piazza delle Armi, Piazza della Luna), become real "salons" of the country, inspired by the many seasonal events.
Not far from the building of the former cinema, now transformed into Bismantova Theatre, (also a cinema) only theater of the mountain Reggio Emilia, an important place of culture with a rich calendar of proposals.
Nestled beneath the rocky walls of stone Bismantova (reachable on foot and by car) there is the Shrine of Our Lady of Bismantova pilgrimage since 1617. The first news of the Hermitage, situated 947 meters above sea level, dates back to 1411. In 1957 he was the subject of renovation and extension.
Leaving the country is facing in different directions in the villages and towns of great historical and architectural interest, especially in summer animated by musical and cultural events that bring to light the ancient splendor.
Entering the municipality coming from Reggio Emilia Feline meets the village's most populous municipality, business and residential center that you can appreciate the ancient tower, affectionately called "salami", the only remaining element of the ancient castle that once stood on the hill and now, thanks to the pine forest that surrounds it and the promenade that winds up on the hill, is a characteristic feature of the whole valley, in a single glance embraces the view of Stone Bismantova. Visiting Feline we can not stop in the oldest part of the country, where a court Magonfia six-eighteenth century and the whole village, the subject of a recent restructuring, offer attractive emotions. From Magonfia, in minutes, you can easily get to the Parc des Sources of Fratta.
Not far from Felina, the small village of Roncroffio, with its ancient buildings, now restored, framed by the church of San Lorenzo (now chapel), the oldest reference of the town. Continuing on you come to Gombe, place of tower houses built between the XV and XVI century and in the south west of the tracks are the old castle. Nearby stands the church of Santa Maria.
A nucleus of great monumental value and cats, characterized by two architectural work, the old (sixteenth century) and new (XVII) family palace Gatti family prominent in the area, which in 1616 did make an oratory dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua and then in 1669 was erected in the parish.
Not far from the capital, along the circumnavigation of Stone Bismantova, Casale, shows some interesting buildings such as the oratory dedicated to Sts. Guardian Angels, with a simple structure with gabled facade. Still stands at the foot of the charming village of Bismantova Ginepreto, with the Church of St. Apollinaris whose building is earlier than 1229. The church is located in scenic views, which look out towards the stone but also on much of the surrounding territory.
Also near Castelnuovo ne 'Monti Frascaro are located along the road that starts from the Oratory of the Madonna of the Cough, to get to Lake Virola, touching even the villages of Vogna and Burano.
Maille is one of the oldest localities in the area. Among the forests upstream of the village can still trace the remains of the castle. The resort is located along the namesake river where there are still interesting disused water mills.
Pietradura, north-east of Castelnuovo, is an interesting example of rural architecture of the seventeenth and eighteenth century, came unchanged to this day. The core is characterized by two tower houses. The village of Pietradura is also valuable for quality landscapes.
In Costa de 'Grassi, leaving the town, a few miles upstream, and appreciate the old stone church, overlooking the square and the street that marked the crossing of the ancient village, which have recently been recovered by a careful restoration has revived the charm and uniqueness of local stone.

Castelnuovo ne Monti today
A mid-mountain landscape in the south of the Province of Reggio Emilia, crossed by gentle valleys, here's how it appears today Castelnuovo ne 'Monti, an area rich in potential natural and generous cultural offering. Its central position allows you within minutes to reach all other resorts Appennino Reggiano.
Center, the center and heart of the entire landscape, Stone Bismantova, superb emergency rocky gray sandstone that stretches to the top in a soft flat plateau. Nevertheless one of the finest treasures of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park area of Triassic gypsum along, and spectacular outcrops of ancient evaporites dating back more than 200 million years ago, in the valley of the river Secchia.
Castelnuovo ne 'Monti is the ideal place for tourism compatible with the environment, thanks to its natural vocations secular and modern and functional.
The country has always been a strong commercial tradition, which today is represented by a network of over 200 stores offering high quality products. Castelnuovo ne 'Monti does not disappoint the expectations of tourists eager to discover routes, outside the "routes" and more commercial lines by mass tourism.
There are many activities you can engage in contact with the environment. The jog in the path of great charm that makes the circumnavigation around the stone Bismantova, or more conveniently in the center, the green pine forest of Mt Bagnolo. A Castelnovo privileged destination for climbers from all over Europe, thanks to Stone that offers dozens of ways to climb for those who practice sport climbing, you can practice different sports, thanks to modern facilities created in the center of the country, an example for all Athletics Center.
Earth products are of high quality, from Parmigiano Reggiano, flagship of the local food sector, the pumpkin or zuccotto Bismantova, the characteristic sausage Fiorettin with hand-cut bacon, all'erbazzone mountain with rice, it Castelnovo ' Monti is the only seat Conduct Slow Food Appennino Reggiano, and embraced by some years the philosophy of Cittaslow, the International Network of City of Good Living, taking a path of exploitation of its territory and that their products' has led to achieve the Award Cittaslow.
The products and typical dishes of the mountain then have several "places of worship around the country: from village inns to upmarket restaurants (where the first taste typical Emilian, game, mushrooms and the wide variety of recipes traditional), to the dairy where they produce Parmigiano Reggiano, often have large stores where space are also other typical local food and wine, and where in the summer are set artistic and cultural events. An important aspect of local products also have crafts, a working and practically unique feature of the territory is that of Foundry hut, which makes the bells with charming old lost wax method since the eighteenth century.

Text taken from:
Castelnuovo ne 'Monti - Capital Apennines of today as yesterday

The best time of year to visit Castelnuovo ne 'Monti.
The best seasons are spring, summer and fall for the beauty of nature, the climate (sunny and dry with summer temperatures are not excessive) for the opportunity to gather and enjoy woodland products (mushrooms, chestnuts, cranberries, truffles, etc.). and the presence of numerous folklore events, cultural, sporting or food that are organized throughout the country.

Calendar of Events, Festivals, Concerts and Events in Castelnuovo ne 'Monti.
Fiera di San Michele
Show Feline Festival
Easter ne 'Monti (Easter events calendar)
Christmas ne 'Monti (Christmas events calendar)
The Way of the Nativity
Under the sign of Leo (of the many summer events calendar)