Lugo ( rgn, Lùgh) is a town and '' comune'' in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, in the province of Ravenna.

History

A settlement in where is now the city is mentioned for the first time in 782 AD, but the names Lucus appears only in 1071. In 1161 it was a fief of the Counts of Cunio, but in 1202 it returned to the Papal States. It was later a possession of the

da Polenta The da Polenta () or Polentani () were an old noble Italian family whose name derives from the Castle of Polenta near Bertinoro in Romagna. The founder of the house is said to have been Guido, surnamed "l'Antico" (the Elder), who wielded great a ...

, Pepoli,

Visconti Visconti is a surname which may refer to: Italian noble families * Visconti of Milan, ruled Milan from 1277 to 1447 ** Visconti di Modrone, collateral branch of the Visconti of Milan * Visconti of Pisa and Sardinia, ruled Gallura in Sardinia from ...

and Este; the latter maintained it until 1597, when the city was again annexed to the Papal States. In 1424 the Castle of Zagonara (now destroyed) was the seat of the homonymous battle, in which a Milanese army defeated the Florentines. When in 1797 the French revolutionary forces invaded northern Italy,

Barnaba Chiaramonti Pope Pius VII ( it, Pio VII; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. Chiaramonti was also a m ...

(later pope as Pius VII), then still Bishop of Imola, addressed his flock to refrain from useless resistance to the overwhelming and threatening forces of the enemy. The town of Lugo refused to submit to the invaders and was delivered up to a pillage which had an end only when the prelate, who had counselled subjection, supplicantly cast himself on his knees before General Augereau. In 1859, through plebiscite, Lugo joined the newly born Kingdom of Italy. During World War II, the Senio river formed the frontline between the German and Allied occupation areas from December 1944 until 10 April 1945. The city was liberated by 1st Jaipur Infantry. A memorial to Jaipur Infantry was built in the city. The city suffered heavy destruction but recovered quickly after the end of the conflict. On 19 January 1993 the area near Lugo experienced a meteorite airburst with a yield estimated at Lugo6

Main sights

*Rocca Estense (Este Castle), the Town Hall from 1797. The current appearance dates from 1500, when the old fortress was rebuilt; the eastern side was erected during the Napoleonic occupation. The interior houses portraits of famous lughesi, a

lunette A lunette (French ''lunette'', "little moon") is a half-moon shaped architectural space, variously filled with sculpture, painted, glazed, filled with recessed masonry, or void. A lunette may also be segmental, and the arch may be an arc take ...

attributed to

Mino da Fiesole Mino da Fiesole (c. 1429 – July 11, 1484), also known as Mino di Giovanni, was an Italian Renaissance sculptor from Poppi, Tuscany. He is noted for his portrait busts. Career Mino's work was influenced by his master Desiderio da Settignano and ...

and a noteworthy 19th-century garden. *The Pavaglione, former 19th century covered market (mainly known for silkworm trade). *The Oratorio of Croce Coperta, with 15th-century frescoes. *The 'Collegiata' church, rebuilt in the 18th century over a 13th-century Franciscan edifice, has a suggestive 15th-century cloister. *San Francesco di Paola (1890), houses a precious polychrome terracotta sculpture of ''Dead Christ'' (15th century). * Teatro Rossini, now a 445-seat opera house, completely restored between 1984 and 1986 based on its original conception from 1759 and restoration and expansion in 1821.

People

Francesco Baracca Count Francesco Baracca (9 May 1888 – 19 June 1918) was Italy's top fighter ace of World War I. He was credited with 34 aerial victories. The emblem he wore side by side on his plane of a black horse prancing on its two rear hooves ins ...

(1888–1918) – World War I flying ace *

Giuseppe de Begnis Giuseppe de Begnis (1793-10 August 1849) was an Italian operatic bass singer. Born in Lugo di Romagna, he started his musical education when he was 7 years old, under Padre Bongiovanni, and sang soprano in the church. At age 15 he had serious ...

(1793–1849) – operatic bass * Agostino Codazzi (1793–1859) – cartographer * Mario Lega – former world champion motorcycle racer *

Charles Ponzi Charles Ponzi (, ; born Carlo Pietro Giovanni Guglielmo Tebaldo Ponzi; March 3, 1882 – January 15, 1949) was an Italian swindler and con artist who operated in the U.S. and Canada. His aliases included ''Charles Ponci'', ''Carlo'', and ''Cha ...

(1882–1949) – famous swindler *

Attilio Pratella Attilio Pratella (1856 in Lugo di Romagna, Italy – 1949 in Naples, Italy) was an Italian painter, noted for his landscapes and realistic scenes of Neapolitan life. Background Pratella grew up in Lugo di Romagna, to parents Alessandro Pratelli ...

(1856–1949) – famous painter * Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868) – composer * Gregorio Ricci-Curbastro (1853–1925) – mathematician * Francesco Balilla Pratella (1880–1955) – composer *

Gustavo Del Vecchio Gustavo Del Vecchio was an Italian economist, politician, and academic. Early life Gustavo Del Vecchio was born in Lugo on 22 June 1883 in the Kingdom of Italy. His family were members of the Jewish community of Lugo. On 21 June 1887, when D ...

(1883-1972) – economist and politician *

Pierluigi Martini Pierluigi Martini (born 23 April 1961) is an Italian former racing driver. He won the 1999 24 hours of Le Mans and participated in 124 Formula One Grands Prix (with 119 starts) between 1984 and 1995. Early life Martini's uncle, Giancarlo Martin ...

(born 1961) – Formula 1 driver * Fabio Taglioni (1920–2001) – engineer *

Lorenzo Baroni Lorenzo Baroni (born 23 February 1990) is an Italian motorcycle racer. Career statistics Grand Prix motorcycle racing By season Races by year (key Key or The Key may refer to: Common meanings * Key (cryptography), a piece of information th ...

(born 1990) – Motorcycle racer

Twin towns

* Agustin Codazzi, Colombia *

Choisy-le-Roi Choisy-le-Roi () is a commune in the Val-de-Marne department, in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, Île-de-France. Geography Choisy-le-Roi is located southeast from the center of Paris, on both banks of the river Seine. The neighbouring commu ...

, France *

Kulmbach Kulmbach () is the capital of the district of Kulmbach in Bavaria in Germany. The town is famous for Plassenburg Castle, which houses the largest tin soldier museum in the world, and for its sausages, or ''Bratwürste''. Geography Location Ku ...

, Germany *

Nervesa della Battaglia Nervesa della Battaglia is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Treviso in the Italian region Veneto, located about north of Venice and about north of Treviso. In February 1358 Nervesa was the scene of a battle in which the Republic of ...

, Italy * Wexford, Ireland * Yoqneam, Israel

References

{{authority control Cities and towns in Emilia-Romagna Castles in Italy