Rottofreno

Rottofreno
—  Comune  —
Comune di Rottofreno
Rottofreno Location of Rottofreno in Italy
Coordinates: 45°3′N 9°33′E
Country	Italy
Region	Emilia-Romagna
Province	Piacenza (PC)
Frazioni	San Nicolò a Trebbia, Santimento, Centora
Government
• Mayor	Giulio Maserati
Area
• Total	34.5 km2 (13.3 sq mi)
Elevation	65 m (213 ft)
Population (31 December 2004)
• Total	9,670
• Density	280/km2 (730/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	29010
Dialing code	0523

Rottofreno is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Piacenza in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 160 km northwest of Bologna and about 12 km west of Piacenza.

Rottofreno borders the following municipalities: Borgonovo Val Tidone, Calendasco, Chignolo Po, Gragnano Trebbiense, Monticelli Pavese, Piacenza, 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 occurred during the Carthaginian invasion of Italy (218-201 BC), when Hannibal allegedly broke here the bit of his horse. The event is also remember in the city's coat of arms. In reality the origin of the name are the from the Lombard roth ("glory") and fridu ("friendship", "safeness"). The village was in fact called Rottofredo during the Middle Ages.

On August 12, 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