Cortemaggiore

Cortemaggiore is an Italian comune located in the Province of Piacenza. Founded in the 1479 by the Pallavicino family, over an old Roman site, it was the capital of the ancient Stato Pallavicino. During the years, the birth of a lot of brotherhoods, bears the construction of a lot of churches: The Basilica of "Santa Maria delle Grazie" or "Collegiata": Started in 1480, it's the main church of Cortemaggiore, it has a Latin cross plant; it conserves a valued polyptych, composed by twelve pieces, by Filippo Mazzola, Parmigianino's father. The church of "Annunziata" (Church of the Announcation): Built in 1487, it keeps two importants pictures by Il Pordenone, an "Immacolata concezione" (Blameless Conception) an a superb "Deposizione" (the Deposition). Next to the church, there is a monastery, with a cloister of 40 metres (about 43 yards) on all sides. The church of "San Giuseppe" (St. Joseph): Started in 1576 by the brotherhood of San Giuseppe. The oratory of "San Lorenzo" (St. Lawrence): Built in 1666. The oratory of "San Giovanni" (St. John): Started in 1625 by the confratenity of SS. Sacramento. The church of "Santa Maria delle Grazie fuori le mura" or "Madonnina": Built by the priest Anotonio Bovarini in 1661. In 1949 the Italian entrepreneur Enrico Mattei, discovers in Cortemaggiore's subsoil an important oilfield; with this oil was product a gasoline (the only one refined from Italian oil), called Supercortemaggiore. In 1997 to Cortemaggiore was conferred the title of "Città d'Arte" (City of Art), a particular prize assigned to the most artistical interesting city. The municipality's motto is "Nihil sanctius quam recta fides cum sororibus associata" (Nothing is holier than a true faith combined with other virtues). Territory Cortemaggiore is located in the northern Italy about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Milan and 120 kilometres (75 mi) from Bologna, in the zone of Italy called "Pianura Padana". The municipality borders with Fiorenzuola d'Arda, Villanova sull'Arda, Besenzone, San Pietro in Cerro, Caorso, Pontenure and Cadeo. Born in Cortemaggiore Ranuccio II Farnese (1630–94), Duke of Parma and Piacenza. Lorenzo Respighi (1824–89), mathematician, philosopher. Giuseppe Manfredi (1828–1918), Patriot and President of the Italian Senate from 1908 to 1918, during the years of World War I. Franco Fabrizi (1926–95), actor. Snapshots