The Town
The Town
Fontanellato is derived from the name “Fontana lata,” meaning large fountain, so called because the town is located in the so-called Lower Parma area, just 5 km from the Via Emilia, between the Taro and Stirone rivers. The environment is typical of the “low” Po Valley plain, with vast extensive crops and springs or resurgences, fed by underground waters that flow at considerable depths, covered by an impermeable layer of clay soil. These springs emerge to the surface, bringing clear waters that create unique climatic conditions and feed several canals, including the moat that surrounds the Rocca Sanvitale of Fontanellato.
The history
The origins of Fontanellato can be traced back to prehistoric times: they are linked to the terramare settlement of Castellazzo, which emerged between 1888 and 1895 from the excavations of Luigi Pigorini. He discovered several settlements from the Middle and Late Bronze Age (1600-900 BC) built on stilts and surrounded by a regular moat; they were inhabited by indigenous peoples engaged in hunting and livestock farming. In the 10th century, an initial Lombard fortification was built, which later developed into a true castrum belonging to the Pallavicino family from 1124, probably with a purely military purpose. Only around the end of the 1300s, with the transfer of ownership to the Sanvitale family, did the process of creating the urban center now known as Fontanellato begin.
The economy
The town bases its economy on agricultural production, specializing in cereals, fodder, and tomatoes; cultivation is favored by particularly fertile and irrigated land, as well as a high degree of mechanization. Likewise, milk production fuels the food industry, especially the dairy sector with Parmigiano Reggiano factories and cured meat producers.
Fontanellato cuisine
Typical products of this area are above all cured meats, culatello and cooked shoulder, and tortelli, with herbs and pumpkin. Other typical dishes include: rice bomba with pigeons, Parmesan-style rice, anolini and cappelletti, Parmesan-style tripe, roast duck and guinea fowl, jugged hare, hunter-style rabbit, Parmesan-style escalopes, fruit tarts, and zabaglione.
In 2004 the town received the CittàSlow recognition, based on indicators such as urban quality, infrastructure, hospitality, the promotion of typical products and food and wine. Today, Fontanellato is also awarded the Orange Flag by the Italian Touring Club, City of Art and Culture, home to the Castles Circuit of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza, and is included among the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy.
Total population: 7,095 (as of November 30, 2025)
Altitude: 46 m a.s.l.
Area: 53.9 sq km
Hamlets: Albareto, Cannetolo, Casalbarbato, Ghiara, Ghiara Sabbioni, Grugno, Parola, Paroletta, Priorato, Rosso, Sanguinaro, Toccalmatto