Fontanellato
Encyclopedia
Fontanellato 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 west of Parma
towards Piacenza
.
The town was built up around the 15th century 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.
The shrine to the Madonna del Rosario commemorates a succession of miracles beginning in 1628.
During World War II
a large brick building next to the Sanctuary of Beata Vergine del santo Rosario, intended for an orphanage (but never used as such), was the Prisoner of War Camp PG 49, from where 600 British officers and men escaped, thanks to the connivance of the Commandant, Colonel Eugenio Vicedomini, the day after the Armistice
of September 1943.
Province of Parma
The Province of Parma is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Parma.It has an area of 3,449 km², and a total population of 413,198...
, in northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It lies on the plains of the River Po near the A1 autostrada
Autostrada A1 (Italy)
The Autostrada A1, or Autostrada del Sole , is an Italian motorway which connects Milan with Naples via Bologna, Florence and Rome. At 754 km, it is the longest Italian autostrada and is considered the “spinal cord” of the country’s road network...
, about 20 kilometres west of Parma
Parma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
towards Piacenza
Piacenza
Piacenza is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza...
.
The town was built up around the 15th century moated and fortified house of the Sanvitale family, the Rocca Sanvitale
Rocca Sanvitale
thumb|280px|View of the Rocca Sanvitale.The Rocca Sanvitale, or Sanvitale Castle, is a fortress residence located in the centre of the town of Fontanellato, near Parma, northern Italy. Construction of the moated block, accessible through a drawbridge, was begun in the 13th century, mostly completed...
, 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.
The shrine to the Madonna del Rosario commemorates a succession of miracles beginning in 1628.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
a large brick building next to the Sanctuary of Beata Vergine del santo Rosario, intended for an orphanage (but never used as such), was the Prisoner of War Camp PG 49, from where 600 British officers and men escaped, thanks to the connivance of the Commandant, Colonel Eugenio Vicedomini, the day after the Armistice
Armistice with Italy
The Armistice with Italy was an armistice signed on September 3 and publicly declared on September 8, 1943, during World War II, between Italy and the Allied armed forces, who were then occupying the southern end of the country, entailing the capitulation of Italy...
of September 1943.