Rottofreno

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Rottofreno
Comune
Comune di Rottofreno
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Rottofreno Location of Rottofreno in Italy Rottofreno Rottofreno (Emilia-Romagna) Show map of ItalyShow map of Emilia-RomagnaShow all
Coordinates: 45°3′N 9°33′E / 45.050°N 9.550°E / 45.050; 9.550Coordinates: 45°3′N 9°33′E / 45.050°N 9.550°E / 45.050; 9.550
Country	Italy
Region	Emilia-Romagna
Province	Piacenza (PC)
Frazioni	San Nicolò a Trebbia, Santimento, Centora
Government
• Mayor	Raffaele Veneziani (Lista Civica)
Area [1]
• Total	34.5 km2 (13.3 sq mi)
Elevation	65 m (213 ft)
Population  (31 December 2011)[2]
• Total	11,703
• Density	340/km2 (880/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	29010
Dialing code	0523

Rottofreno (Piacentino: Altufrèi, Artufrèi, Ltufrèi or Rtufrèi) is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Piacenza in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 160 kilometres (99 mi) northwest of Bologna and about 12 kilometres (7 mi) west of Piacenza.

Rottofreno borders the following municipalities: Borgonovo Val Tidone, Calendasco, Chignolo Po, Gragnano Trebbiense, Monticelli Pavese, Piacenza, and Sarmato.

The main settlement of the comune is San Nicolò, which has more inhabitants than Rottofreno proper.

Name and history[]

According to a legend, the name (meaning "broken bit") derives from an event during the Carthaginian invasion of Italy (218–201 BC), when Hannibal allegedly broke here the bit of his horse. The event is also remembered in the city's coat of arms. In reality the name is from the Lombard roth ("glory") and fridu ("friendship", "safeness"). The village was in fact called Rottofredo during the Middle Ages.

On 12 August 1746 during the War of Austrian Succession, a battle was fought here between a French-Spanish army and an Austrian force. This event is known as the Battle of Rottofredo (or Rottofreddo).

Main sights[]

• The great Baroque church of St. John the Baptist (1690) in the frazione of Santimento.

Demographic evolution[]