The best traffic-free bike rides around Novellara

The bell tower of the Basilica of San Prospero is one of the most important and beloved architectural symbols of Reggio Emilia. Located in the square of the same name in the heart of the historic center, this imposing structure stands out for its characteristic octagonal shape and for being fascinatingly unfinished. Construction work on the bell tower began between 1535 and 1536. Its construction saw the collaboration of important master craftsmen and architects of the time. The builders: The construction site was initially directed by the local master builders Leonardo, Alberto, and Roberto Pacchioni. Design and consultation: The initial design is attributed to the sculptor Cristoforo Ricci (known as Il Rossino). In 1538, Ricci himself went to Mantua to submit the drawings to Giulio Romano, the famous pupil of Raphael, who supervised the project, introducing prominent elements (such as shell-shaped niches inspired by Palazzo Te). Partial completion: Upon Rossino's death in 1555, the sculptor Prospero Sogari (known as Il Clemente) took over, carrying forward the third order. Work definitively ceased around 1575, leaving the structure without the planned fourth level and covering dome. The tower is composed of three superimposed octagonal volumes, decorated according to the classical superposition of architectural orders: Doric on the lower floor, Ionic on the second, and Corinthian on the third. The nickname derives from its characteristic external cladding in local sandstone. Sandstone is sand naturally cemented over millennia; while providing a warm golden color, it is a friable material that tends to flake under the action of atmospheric agents.

The Basilica of San Prospero is one of the most important religious monuments in Reggio Emilia, located in the square of the same name in the heart of the historic center. Dedicated to the city's patron saint, the church represents an extraordinary testimony of the Emilian Renaissance, enriched with late Baroque elements. It houses the relics of the Saint under the high altar.

Piazza Camillo Prampolini, historically known as Piazza Grande, is the beating heart and historic center of Reggio Emilia. The square is surrounded by the most important monuments of the city, which represent the historical political and religious powers.

The Basilica della Beata Vergine della Ghiara is one of the most important Marian sanctuaries in Italy and an absolute masterpiece of Emilian Baroque and late Renaissance. Located in Reggio Emilia along Corso Garibaldi, the church was built between 1597 and 1619 to protect a miraculous image of the Madonna.

The Lido Po di Guastalla is the floodplain and recreational area located on the banks of the Po River in the Province of Reggio Emilia. It represents an important reference point for nature tourism, leisure time, and major cultural events linked to the rural and river tradition of the area.

The Duomo of Guastalla, officially known as the Co-cathedral of Saint Peter the Apostle (or of Saints Peter and Paul), is the main religious building and the urban heart of the city of Guastalla, in the province of Reggio Emilia

The Po is the longest and most important river in Italy, with a course of 652 kilometers that crosses the entire Po Valley from west to east. It has the largest river basin in the country (approximately 71,000 km²) and boasts the largest water flow at its mouth.

The Po is the longest and most important river in Italy, with a course of 652 kilometers that crosses the entire Po Valley from west to east. It has the largest drainage basin in the country (about 71,000 km²) and boasts the largest water flow at its mouth.