The strategic center of Val d'Enza is on the border between Reggiano and Parmense, 15 km west of the provincial capital. The climate of its territory is delightful, thanks to the presence of the surrounding mountains. Right in the center of the town stands its Estense Castle...#tuttitaly
Montecchio Emilia is located halfway between Reggio Emilia and Parma.
Thanks to its strategic position in the early Middle Ages, Montecchio Emilia served as the first sighting bulwark in the pre-Apennine defensive system set up by the Canossas.
In the historical center, the town retains part of the fifteenth-century bastion walls, the arcades, the castle, the Sanctuary of the Beata Vergine dell'Olmo, and the Pieve di San Donnino.
The castle, dating back to the Matilda era, has two crenelated towers. The tallest is the Clock Tower.
The tour of the fortress is a real journey through the history of Montecchio from the Carolingian era to the uprisings of the Risorgimento.
Going up to the top, you can have a panoramic view of the surrounding area.
The Sanctuary of the Beata Vergine dell'Olmo, from 1484, has a single nave, to whose sides are four chapels with eighteenth and nineteenth-century paintings and frescoes. The high altar, in Carrara marble, is the work of Carmela Adani.
The Pieve di San Donnino, located via Franchini, is the oldest church in the town. Its foundation dates back to the first centuries of the evangelization of the Po Valley area.
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