Santerno
Encyclopedia
The Santerno is a river of Romagna
, in northern Italy
, the major tributary of the Reno River
. In Roman
times, it was known as the Vatrenus (small Renus), although, in the Tabula Peutingeriana
, it was already identified as the Santernus.
It rises near the Futa Pass
, at 1,222 metres of elevation, in the Apennine ridges facing the plateau of Firenzuola
. Beyond Firenzuola, it flows through Castel del Rio
, where it is crossed by a famous medieval bridge, the Ponte degli Alidosi; then it flows past Fontanelice
, Borgo Tossignano
, Casalfiumanese
, and, once in the Pianura Padana (the Po River
's valley), Imola
. Then it empties into the Reno, seven kilometres from Bastia
.
It is probable that, in ancient times, the river flowed eastward from Bagnacavallo
, as confirmed be the existence of a frazione
of Ravenna
called Santerno. In those days, after Imola, the river divided into two branches, one moving northeast toward Ravenna, the other continuing northward to join the Po. The Ravenna branch disappeared, most likely in the eighth century.
Once the late course of the river was modified, and protective measures were taken in the 1880s, the Santerno was famous for its serious floods. Fourteen were recorded between 1679 and 1778.
Romagna
Romagna is an Italian historical region that approximately corresponds to the south-eastern portion of present-day Emilia-Romagna. Traditionally, it is limited by the Apennines to the south-west, the Adriatic to the east, and the rivers Reno and Sillaro to the north and west...
, 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...
, the major tributary of the Reno River
Reno River
The Reno is a river of Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy. It is the tenth longest river in Italy and the most important of the region apart from the Po...
. In Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
times, it was known as the Vatrenus (small Renus), although, in the Tabula Peutingeriana
Tabula Peutingeriana
The Tabula Peutingeriana is an itinerarium showing the cursus publicus, the road network in the Roman Empire. The original map of which this is a unique copy was last revised in the fourth or early fifth century. It covers Europe, parts of Asia and North Africa...
, it was already identified as the Santernus.
It rises near the Futa Pass
Futa Pass
The Futa Pass or La Futa Pass is a pass in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, at an elevation of . It is located in the comune of Firenzuola, in the province of Florence. It separated the valleys of Mugello and of the Santerno River....
, at 1,222 metres of elevation, in the Apennine ridges facing the plateau of Firenzuola
Firenzuola
Firenzuola is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 40 km northeast of Florence....
. Beyond Firenzuola, it flows through Castel del Rio
Castel del Rio
Castel del Rio is a comune in the Province of Bologna in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 35 km southwest of Bologna....
, where it is crossed by a famous medieval bridge, the Ponte degli Alidosi; then it flows past Fontanelice
Fontanelice
Fontanelice is a comune in the Province of Bologna in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 30 km southeast of Bologna. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,884 and an area of 36.6 km²....
, Borgo Tossignano
Borgo Tossignano
Borgo Tossignano is a comune in the Province of Bologna in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about southeast of Bologna....
, Casalfiumanese
Casalfiumanese
Casalfiumanese is a comune in the Province of Bologna in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 30 km southeast of Bologna....
, and, once in the Pianura Padana (the Po River
Po River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
's valley), Imola
Imola
thumb|250px|The Cathedral of Imola.Imola is a town and comune in the province of Bologna, located on the Santerno river, in the Emilia-Romagna region of north-central Italy...
. Then it empties into the Reno, seven kilometres from Bastia
Bastia
Bastia is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France located in the northeast of the island of Corsica at the base of Cap Corse. It is also the second-largest city in Corsica after Ajaccio and the capital of the department....
.
It is probable that, in ancient times, the river flowed eastward from Bagnacavallo
Bagnacavallo
Bagnacavallo is a town and comune in the province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. .The Renaissance painter Bartolommeo Ramenghi bore the nickname of his native city.- Main sights:*Castellaccio * Giardino dei Semplici...
, as confirmed be the existence of a frazione
Frazione
A frazione , in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a comune; for other administrative divisions, see municipio, circoscrizione, quartiere...
of Ravenna
Ravenna
Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and the second largest comune in Italy by land area, although, at , it is little more than half the size of the largest comune, Rome...
called Santerno. In those days, after Imola, the river divided into two branches, one moving northeast toward Ravenna, the other continuing northward to join the Po. The Ravenna branch disappeared, most likely in the eighth century.
Once the late course of the river was modified, and protective measures were taken in the 1880s, the Santerno was famous for its serious floods. Fourteen were recorded between 1679 and 1778.