Campegine between Roman History and Nature
Accommodation in Campegine
Campegine combines traces of prehistoric settlements with Roman infrastructure, medieval structures, ecclesiastical architectural history, and a protected landscape. This creates a destination with various thematic approaches: history is reflected in remains and buildings, while the Fontanili di Corte Valle Re Nature Reserve opens up a distinct natural dimension for you.
File:Silk threads left by ballooning spiders - Campegine, Reggio Emilia, Italy - October 29, 2024.jpg
Photo: Giorgio Galeotti via Source, CC BY-SA 4.0
Roman Traces and Ecclesiastical Architectural History
A notable testimony to antiquity is the Roman aqueduct. It dates from the 1st century AD, ran for more than 15 kilometres, and carried drinking water from the Gruma springs west of the Campegine area to the important Roman military camp of Brixellum on the right bank of the Po. A short section of this aqueduct was excavated in the Campi Rossi locality.
The church in Campegine is also connected with an older fortification: it was built on the ruins of San Pietro Castle and is dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul. The history of the Cervi family became a symbol of the courage and generosity of the farmers from the Reggio area, as well as their steadfast determination not to submit to a totalitarian and violent fascist regime.
Corte del Gualtirolo and the History of Grana
Corte del Gualtirolo is referred to in documents from the 12th and 13th centuries as Castrum Gualterii and is considered the first organised and strategic settlement in the ancient history of the Campegine area. Its former fortified complex included a castle with embankments, moats, and drawbridges, as well as a church dedicated to Santa Maria della Neve.
Corte del Gualtirolo is also connected with the history of Grana cheese: the ancient complex in Campegine was one of the places of origin of this regional speciality. At this historic site, architectural history and local culinary culture complement one another without the individual themes having to be considered separately.
Corte Valle Re and Fontanili
The architectural complex of Corte Valle Re was built on the ruins of the medieval Montanara Castle at natural springs. In 1992, the Emilia-Romagna region designated these springs as a nature reserve. Corte Valle Re was the centre of a settlement with farmhouses, a mill, and a cheese dairy.
In the Fontanili di Corte Valle Re Nature Reserve, the waters are home to waterbirds such as mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), moorhens (Gallinula chloropus), little bitterns (Ixobrychus minutus), herons, and other duck species. Access is free provided that the rules of conduct applicable throughout the protected area are observed. Guided tours are available on request. The paths accessible to visitors are completely flat.
Orientation for Planning Your Trip
From Campegine town centre, you can reach the car park for the nature reserve via Via F. Cavatorti. After the motorway overpass, a side road branches off to the left. If travelling via the A1, the Terre di Canossa-Campegine toll station provides access from the motorway between Milan and Bologna.
The Fiera SS. Pietro e Paolo is held in Campegine on the last weekend of June. When choosing a hotel or other accommodation in Campegine, you can align your priorities accordingly: historic buildings, Roman traces, nature observation, completely flat paths, or the timing of the Fiera offer different starting points for planning your own trip.
Other Places for Orientation
If you would like to expand your travel options, here are some other places: Cadelbosco Di Sopra, Casale, Poviglio, San Polo D'enza, Bosco, Tabiano, Reggio Nell'emilia and Gualtieri.
To the higher-level travel overview: Reggio Emilia.
