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58-444: This valley is wedged between Val Boreca ( Piacenza ) to the east; Val Vobbia, Val Brevenna and Alta Val Trebbia ( Genoa ) and Valle Spinti ( Alessandria and Genoa) to the south; and Val Curone, Val Grue and Valley Ossona (Alessandria) to the north. It is bordered to the west by Valle Scrivia. The valley is surrounded by high mountains, making it a place isolated from the surrounding valleys, little touched by industrialization and with

116-561: A belt of northeast-southwest mountains on the coast of northwest Italy folded by transverse thrusting from sedimentary rock . The streams draining it run primarily in a northeastern direction perpendicular to the line of the folds and project into the Po river an average of 50 km (31 mi) from the source. The eroded landscape of the north Apennines covers about 2,800 km (1,100 sq mi). For much of their lengths, these heavily braided streams run through montane terrain that

174-711: A clear day can be seen Genoa, Corsica , the Tuscan Archipelago and the Alps . From its source the river flows towards north-east for 118 km (73 mi) until it reaches the Po just to the west of Piacenza . The Alta Val Trebbia ("High Trebbia Valley") includes the valley down to Bobbio . It straddles eight comuni of the Province of Genoa: Torriglia, Rondanina , Propata , Fascia , Montebruno , Rovegno , Fontanigorda and Gorreto . Each of these contains numerous hamlets, some on

232-583: A coin from the sixteenth century (that is displayed to the right) declares that by featuring the motto: Placentia floret ("Piacenza flourishes") on one of its sides. Also in the course of that century a new city wall was erected. Piacenza, as part of the Duchy of Milan , was ruled, at alternate times, by the Sforza and by France until 1521, when, under Pope Leo X , it became part of the Papal States . From 1545, following

290-473: A few miles later encounters the suburban communities on the west side of Piacenza before entering the Po. Geologically the course of the lower Trebbia and that of the Po is unstable except where stabilized by man. Nearly the whole course of the river is paralleled by the Strada statale della Val Trebbia , highway SS45, running between Piacenza and Genoa. It encounters the river at Rivergaro and winds with it through

348-585: A similarly named Piacentine specialty, is a kind of pasta filled with spinaches and ricotta cheese, or filled with calabash. A similar Piacentine dish is the Panzerotti al Forno, which is made with pasta, ricotta cheese, and spinach. Piacentine staple foods include corn (generally cooked as polenta ) and rice (usually cooked as risotto ), both of which are very common across northern Italy. Cheeses, such as Grana Padano , are produced in Piacenza although nearby Parma

406-672: A small ridge to the west, on which sits Torriglia, and slightly further downslope is the source of the Scrivia river. Over a ridge to the northeast is the Brugneto reservoir, water supply for Genoa . The reservoir was created in 1959 by damming Brugneto stream, which formerly joined its waters to the Trebbia, but now only does so when the reservoir is full. A ridge running north from Prelà connects to Monte Druso, then to Monte Cremado, and finally to Monte Antola at 1,597 m (5,240 ft). From its peak on

464-475: A well-preserved environment. Up until the beginning of the 20th century, there was no road connecting the upper with the lower valley, the main passageway being the gravel riverbed in the dry season. It is the only valley of Piedmont bordering on the Emilia-Romagna region. Until about the 1950s, viticulture was very widespread, especially in the lower valley. Today, a special grape variety is still cultivated in

522-608: Is twinned with: Trebbia The Trebbia (stressed Trèbbia ; Latin : Trebia ) is a river predominantly of Liguria and Emilia Romagna in northern Italy . It is one of the four main right-bank tributaries of the river Po , the other three being the Tanaro , the Secchia and the Panaro . Along its eastern banks in 218 BC was fought one of the battles of the Second Punic War :

580-466: Is a city and comune (municipality) in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy , and the capital of the eponymous province . As of 2022, Piacenza is the ninth largest city in the region by population, with more than 102,000 inhabitants. Westernmost major city of the region of Emilia-Romagna, it has strong relations with Lombardy , with which it borders, and in particular with Milan . It

638-568: Is accessed) its waters are impounded by a dam diverting them through the turbines of a hydroelectric power station. The border with the Province of Pavia in southernmost Lombardy follows the Trebbia for about 2,000 m (6,600 ft) where it bends around Ponte Organasco, so that some of the river and bottom lands are in Lombardy. Further downstream the valley opens to accommodate Corte Brugnatella and then closes to form steep sides again. Receiving

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696-540: Is located at a major crossroads at the intersection of Route E35/A1 between Bologna and Milan , and Route E70/A21 between Brescia and Turin . Piacenza is also at the confluence of the Trebbia , draining the northern Apennine Mountains , and the River Po , draining to the east. Piacenza hosts three universities, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore , Polytechnic University of Milan and University of Parma . The etymology

754-558: Is long-standing, deriving from the Latin "Placentia" tracing an origin from the verb placēre , "to please". The name means "pleasant" or (as James Boswell reported some of the etymologists of his time to have translated it) "comely abode", and it was given as a good omen. Before its settlement by the Romans, the area was populated by other peoples; specifically, just prior to the Roman settlement,

812-438: Is minimally developed, is known for its wildlife, and remains in a pristine state. The sediment eroded from the mountains is deposited in alluvial fans and terraces in the Po valley, which is heavily populated and in ancient times flooded regularly. Diking has prevented much of the flooding but now due to confinement of deposition within the stream beds significant lengths of stream run entirely above ground, in places as high as

870-479: Is more famous for its dairy products. The hills surrounding Piacenza are known for their vineyards. The wine produced in the area is qualified with a denominazione di origine controllata called " Colli Piacentini " ("Hills of Piacenza"). The main wines are Gutturnio (red wines, both sparkling and still), Bonarda (a red wine, often sparkling and foamy, made from Croatina grapes), Ortrugo (a dry white wine), and Malvasia (a sweet white wine). Piacenza

928-408: Is the main men's volleyball team and currently plays in serie A1; its palmares entails a championship, a national cup, a national supercup, and two European cups. River Volley is the main women's volleyball team and won the national championship twice. Rugby is relatively popular compared with Italian standards and Piacenza has a number of rugby teams: Piacenza Rugby Club and Rugby Lyons Piacenza are

986-544: Is within the endemic range of Moltoni's warbler , a subspecies of Sylvia cantillans better known in the western Mediterranean islands. The birds forage for insects in mixed shrubland of varying heights and both broad-leaved and coniferous composition. The other birds include Buteo buteo , Falco tinnunculus , Accipiter nisus , Pernis apivorus , Cinclus cinclus , Charadrius dubius , Motacilla alba , Motacilla flava , Alcedo atthis , Alectoris rufa and Picus viridis . The northern Apennines are

1044-450: The Battle of Trebbia , where Hannibal defeated a Roman consular army. The 1,150-square-kilometre (440 sq mi) drainage basin is divided among Emilia Romagna, 770 square kilometres (300 sq mi), Liguria, 349 square kilometres (135 sq mi), and Lombardy , 31 square kilometres (12 sq mi). Its principal tributaries are the torrents Aveto and Perino (from

1102-690: The Expedition of the Thousand . In 1858, the geologist Karl Mayer-Eymar named the Piacenzian Age of the Pliocene Epoch based on deposits close to Piacenza. In June 1865, the first railway bridge over the Po River in northern Italy was inaugurated (in southern Italy a railroad bridge had been built across the river in 1839). In 1891, the first Chamber of Workers was created in Piacenza. During World War II ,

1160-654: The Middle Pleistocene . The loess initially accumulated on gravelled terraces deriving from native rock. Judging from the archaeological evidence, the Trebbia valley has been continuously occupied since the end of the Acheulian in the Paleolithic , about 150000 years ago. In the Mesolithic various summer camps for high-altitude hunting were located in the valley. Neolithic cultures were at first diverse (4500 BC). Later in

1218-522: The French Empire. Young Piacentini recruits were sent to fight in Russia , Spain , and Germany , while the city was plundered of a great number of artworks that are currently exhibited in many French museums. The Habsburg government of Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma (1816–1847), is remembered fondly as one of the best in the history of Piacenza. The duchess drained many lands, built several bridges across

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1276-690: The Neolithic, at about 4000 BC, the Square-mouthed pottery culture began to prevail; at about 3000 BC, the Chassey-Lagozza culture of the Chalcolithic . The Bronze Age population resided in settlements located at positions with natural defenses. Etruscan elements began in the Iron Age , about the 5th century BC. Celtic artifacts immediately preceded the Roman presence. Along its eastern banks in 218 BC

1334-473: The Piacenza region (although also enjoyed in nearby Cremona ) is mostarda di frutta , consisting of preserved fruits in a sugary syrup that is strongly flavored with mustard. Turtlìt ( tortelli dolci in standard Italian), or fruit dumplings, are filled with mostarda di frutta , mashed chestnuts , and other ingredients, and they are served at Easter. Turtlìt are popular in the Ferrara area as well. Turtéi ,

1392-584: The Torrente Carlone from the left it enters Bobbio on the left bank. Here the high valley ends and the valley becomes the Val Trebbia. The river goes on under a good many small communities located up on the flanks of the hills before reaching the next good-sized town on it, Travo , and then Rivergaro . Here the val ends. It widens and merges with the Pianura Padana , "plain of the Po", beyond Rivergaro and

1450-659: The Trebbia and the Nure and created educational and artistic activities. Austrian troops occupied Piacenza until, in 1860, a plebiscite marked the entrance of the city into the Kingdom of Sardinia . When 37,089 voters out of 37,585 voted for the annexation, Piacenza was declared Primogenita dell'Unità di Italia ("First-born of the Unification of Italy ") by the monarch. The Piacentini enrolled en masse in Giuseppe Garibaldi 's army for

1508-521: The building of the city. Piacenza must have been walled immediately, as the walls were in place when the Battle of the Trebia was fought around the city in December. There is no evidence either textual or archaeological of a prior settlement at that exact location; however, such a site would have been obliterated by construction. Piacenza was the fifty-third colony to be placed by Rome following its foundation. It

1566-460: The city always recovered and by the sixth century Procopius was calling it "the principal city in the country of Aemilia". The first Bishop of Piacenza (322–357), San Vittorio, declared Saint Antoninus of Piacenza , a soldier of the Theban Legion (and not to be confused with the sixth-century Antoninus of Piacenza ), the patron saint of Piacenza and had the first basilica constructed to honor

1624-471: The city between 6,000 and 13,000 Piacentini died from famine and plague. The city and its countryside were ravaged by bandits and French soldiers as well. Between 1732 and 1859, Parma and Piacenza were ruled by the House of Bourbon . In the eighteenth century, several edifices that belonged to noble families such as Scotti, Landi , and Fogliani were built in Piacenza. In 1802, Napoleon 's army annexed Piacenza to

1682-466: The city easily accessible from the Adriatic ports, which improved trade and the prospects for timely defense. The Liver of Piacenza , a bronze model of a sheep's liver for the purposes of haruspicy was discovered in 1877 at Gossolengo just to the south of Piacenza. It bears witness to the survival of the disciplina Etrusca well after the Roman conquest. Although sacked and devastated several times,

1740-509: The city was heavily bombed by the Allies because of its strategic elements. The important railway and road bridges across the Trebbia and the Po and the railway yards were destroyed. The historic centre of city suffered collateral damage. In 1944, the bridges over the Po became vital for the supply from Austria of Field Marshal Albert Kesselring 's Gothic Line , which protected the withdrawal of Kesselring's troops from Italy. Foremost among these were

1798-425: The creation of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza by Pope Paul III to his son Pier Luigi Farnese , the city was ruled by the House of Farnese . Piacenza was the capital city of the duchy until Ottavio Farnese, Duke of Parma (1547–1586), moved the capital to Parma. The city underwent some of its most difficult years during the rule of Odoardo Farnese, Duke of Parma (1622–1646). Out of the population of 30,000 in

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1856-449: The fagiolane, a rather large, white bean that is very appreciated and used gastronomically in the Province of Alessandria . Its population has been considered a genetic isolate . 44°42′39″N 8°53′17″E  /  44.7109°N 8.8880°E  / 44.7109; 8.8880 Piacenza Piacenza ( Italian: [pjaˈtʃɛntsa] ; Piacentino : Piaṡëinsa [pi.aˈzəi̯sɐ] ; Latin : Placentia )

1914-673: The feudal class of the countryside. In 1095, the city was the site of the Council of Piacenza , in which the First Crusade was proclaimed. From 1126, Piacenza was a free commune and an important member of the Lombard League . In this role, it took part in the war against Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor and in the subsequent battle of Legnano (1176). It also successfully fought the neighbouring communes of Cremona , Pavia , and Parma , expanding its territory. Piacenza also captured control of

1972-543: The following species: Juniperus communis , Rubus fruticosus , Rubus idaeus , Polygala chamaebuxus , Daphne mezereum , Vaccinium myrtillus , Cornus mas , Euonymus europaea , Cytisus sessilifolius , Erica arborea , Ruscus aculeatus , Clematis vitalba , Lonicera caprifolium , Crataegus oxyacantha , Rosa canina , Spartium junceum . The ferns are Polypodium volgare , Asplenium ruta-muraria , Dryopteris filix-mas , Pteridium aquilinum , Notholaena marantae . The Val Trebbia

2030-513: The gold medal for Valour in Battle. There was a prisoner of war (POW) camp located in Piacenza, Veano Camp PG 29. Climate in this area is humid subtropical with no dry season, constantly moist. Summers are hot and sultry. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is " Cfa " ( Humid subtropical climate ). Piacenza boasts a great number of historical palaces, often characterized by splendid gardens. Many inhabitants of Piacenza and

2088-581: The language has experienced a steady decline during the twentieth century due to the growing standardization of the Italian language in the national educational system. Piacenza Calcio 1919 is the main and most supported football team and played in Serie A for eight seasons. They play at the Stadio Leonardo Garilli . The city's other club, Pro Piacenza 1919 , declared bankruptcy in 2019. Volley Piacenza

2146-568: The many colonies that had been co-founded by Rome and towns of Latium . The reaction of the region's Gauls was swift; they drove the colonists off the lands. Taking refuge in Mutina , the colonists sent for military assistance. A small force under Lucius Manlius was prevented from reaching the area. The Senate then sent two legions under Gaius Atelius. Collecting Manlius and the colonists, they descended on Piacenza and Cremona and successfully placed castra there of 480 square metres (0.12 acres) to support

2204-707: The most important. Piacenza and its province are known for the production of seasoned and salted pork products. The main specialities are pancetta (rolled seasoned pork belly, salted and spiced), coppa (seasoned pork neck, containing less fat than pancetta , matured at least for six months), and salame (chopped pork meat flavoured with spices and wine, and made into sausages ). Bortellina (salted pancakes made with flour, salt, and water or milk) and chisulén ( torta fritta in Standard Italian; made with flour, milk, and animal fats mixed together and then fried in hot strutto , or clarified pork fat) are considered

2262-859: The mountains, breaking away just below the source to bend southwest over the ridges to Genoa. The following trees are predominant in the forests of Val Trebbia: Fagus silvatica at 800 m (2,600 ft) to 1,500 m (4,900 ft); over 1500 m: Sorbus aucuparia , Sorbus aria , Laburnum anagyroides , Acer pseudoplatanus , Abies alba , Larix decidua , Alnus incana , Populus tremula ; below 1,000 m (3,300 ft): Quercus cerris , Quercus sessiflora , Quercus pubescens , Ostrya carpinifolia , Carpinus betulus , Fraxinus ornus , Acer campestre , Ulmus campestris , Populus alba , Populus canescens , Alnus glutinosa , Prunus avium , Pirus communis , Malus communis , Corylus avellana ; below 800 m (2,600 ft): Castanea sativa . The shrubbery includes

2320-420: The perfect coupling of pancetta , coppa , and salame , but they are also considered good with cheeses, particularly Gorgonzola and Robiola . Pisarei e faśö is a mixture of handmade pasta and borlotti beans. This is served with a sauce made of tomato puree, extra virgin olive oil, onion, salt, and pepper. The dish typically is consumed with grated Parmigiano on top. Among the culinary specialties of

2378-528: The period. Scoto's government ended when the Visconti of Milan captured Piacenza, which they would hold until 1447. Duke Gian Galeazzo Visconti rewrote Piacenza's statutes and relocated the University of Pavia to the city. Piacenza then became a possession of the House of Sforza until 1499. Chiefly due to the expansion of agriculture in the countryside surrounding Piacenza, the city progressed economically and

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2436-494: The railway and road bridges at Piacenza, along with supply depots and railway yards. In Operation Mallory Major, July 12–15, allied medium bombers from Corsica flew 300 sorties a day, knocking out 21 bridges east of Piacenza and then continued to the west for a total of 90 by July 20. Fighter-bombers prevented reconstruction and cut roads and rail lines. By August 4, all the cities of northern Italy were isolated and had suffered heavy bombing, especially Piacenza. Transport to Genoa to

2494-698: The region on the right bank of the Po River between the Trebbia River and the Taro River had been occupied by the Ananes or Anamari, a tribe of Cisalpine Gauls . Before then, according to Polybius , "These plains were anciently inhabited by Etruscans " before the Gauls took the entire Po Valley from them. in May 218 BC, Piacenza and Cremona were founded as Roman military colonies . The Romans had planned to construct them after

2552-467: The richest cities in Europe. This is reflected in the construction of many important buildings and in the general revision of the urban plan. Struggles for control were commonplace in the second half of the thirteenth century, similarly to the large majority of Medieval Italian communes. The Scotti family , Pallavicini family and Alberto Scoto  [ it ] (1290–1313) in that order, held power during

2610-532: The right) and the torrent Boreca (from the left). The source of the river, the Trebbia river spring, is in the Ligurian Apennines on the south slopes of Monte Prelà , to the south of Monte Antola in the comune of Torriglia , Province of Genoa . Monte Prelà, 1,407 m (4,616 ft) high, is part of the Antola massif. The spring is not on the peak but is at roughly 800 m (2,600 ft). Across

2668-531: The river, most on the slopes. Gorreto is on the Ligurian side of the border with Piacenza province . Past Gorreto the Trebbia flows under a few mountain villages arriving at the next town, Ottone . Below Ottone Val Boreca enters from the left opposite the frazione of Losso. The Boreca is a mountain brook falling from the heights of the "four provinces" region generally too small to be shown on maps but visible in satellite photographs. Just below Zerba (from which it

2726-628: The rooftops. This is a development of the previous thousand years. The native rock differs between the two banks. On the left is mainly sedimentary rock, the Monte Antola limestone, which is actually a marlstone . On the right is both sedimentary and metamorphic rock : ophiolite , serpentinite , basalt , jasper . Val Trebbia is covered with a blanket of rich soil reddish or brown in color from hematite an average of 4 m (13 ft) deep. It consists of loess deposited in layers during periods of glacial maxima beginning about 400000 years ago in

2784-517: The saint in 324. The basilica was restored in 903 and rebuilt in 1101, again in 1562, and is still a church today. The remains of the bishop and the soldier-saint are in urns under the altar. The theme of Antoninus, protector of Piacenza, is well known in art. Piacenza was sacked during the course of the Gothic War (535–554) . After a short period of being reconquered by the Roman emperor Justinian I , it

2842-603: The south or through Turin to the north was impossible; nevertheless, Kesselring continued to supply his men. On the hills and the Apennine Mountains, partisans were active. On April 25, 1945, a general partisan insurrection by the Italian resistance movement broke out and on 29 April, troops of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force entered the city. In 1996, president Oscar Luigi Scalfaro honoured Piacenza with

2900-515: The successful conclusion of the latest war with the Gauls ending in 219 BC. In the spring of 218 BC, after declaring war on Carthage , the Senate decided to accelerate the foundation and gave the colonists 30 days to appear on the sites to receive their lands. Each colony was to be settled by 6,000 Roman citizens, but the cities were to receive Latin Rights ; that is, they were to have the same legal status as

2958-548: The surrounding province still use Piacentino, which is a variety of the Emilian dialect the Emilian-Romagnol language . Emilian-Romagnol is a member of a different Romance subfamily ( Gallo-Italic ) than Standard Italian (which is an Italo-Dalmatian language ) and its distinct grammar and phonology make it mutually unintelligible with that language. Although there have been a number of notable poets and writers using Piacentino,

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3016-673: The trading routes with Genoa , where the first Piacentini bankers had already settled, from the Malaspina counts and the bishop of Bobbio . In the thirteenth century, despite unsuccessful wars against Frederick I, Piacenza managed to gain strongholds on the Lombardy shore of the Po. The preliminaries of the Peace of Constance were signed in 1183 in the Saint Antoninus church. Agriculture and trade flourished in these centuries and Piacenza became one of

3074-459: The valley, the Timorasso , which is known and appreciated even outside the valley. There are a lot of chestnut woods in the valley, but chestnuts are no longer harvested as before. Also, the water mills in the valley are no longer in operation, so chestnut flour is now produced outside the valley. Val Borbera is also known for a special kind of potatoes, namely the patata quarantina bianca genovese, and

3132-452: The victorious Romans restored the city and managed to recover 2,000 of its citizens. In 198 BC, a combined force of Gauls and Ligurians plundered the whole region. As the people had never recovered from being sold into slavery, in 190 BC, they complained to Senate of underpopulation; in response the Senate sent 3,000 new settlers. Construction of the Via Aemilia in the decade of the 180s made

3190-595: Was conquered by the Lombards , who made it a duchy seat. After its conquest by Francia in the ninth century, the city began to recover, aided by its location along the Via Francigena that later connected the Holy Roman Empire with Rome . Its population and importance grew further after the year 1000. That period marked a gradual transfer of governing powers from the feudal lords to a new enterprising class, as well to

3248-471: Was defined by Leonardo da Vinci as a "Land of passage" in his Codex Atlanticus , by virtue of its crucial geographical location. This strategic location would influence the history of Piacenza significantly at several times. Piacenza integrates characteristics of the nearby Ligurian and Piedmontese territories added to a prevalent Lombard influence, favored by communications with the nearby metropolis, which attenuate its Emilian footprint. Piacenza

3306-432: Was fought one of the battles of the Second Punic War : the Battle of Trebbia , where Hannibal defeated a Roman consular army. The name of the river is first known from Polybius , who wrote in the middle Roman Republic , but used materials dating to earlier. Which people first assigned it and during which period remains unclear. Without knowing the probable language the few etymologies are highly speculative. In 1799

3364-474: Was the first among the Gauls of the Po valley. It had to be supplied by boat after the Battle of Trebbia, when Hannibal controlled the countryside, for which purpose a port (Emporium) was constructed. In 209 BC, Hasdrubal Barca crossed the Alps and laid siege to the city, but he was unable to take it, and he withdrew. In 200 BC, the Gauls sacked and burned the city, selling the inhabitants into slavery. Subsequently,

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