Sassuolo


Sassuolo is an Italian town, comune, and industrial centre of the Province of Modena, Emilia-Romagna region. The town stands on the right bank of the river Secchia some southwest of Modena. As of 2015, its population was 40,884.

History

The territory was inhabited in ancient times by the pile-dwelling terramare civilization, then by an Eastern Ligurian tribe called Friniates during the Iron Age. The Celt Boii settled this land beginning from 400 BC, overlapping with the Friniates. The Boii represent the most powerful and numerous Celtic tribe of Northern Italy, or Cisalpine Gaul. They fiercely opposed to the Roman conquest of Cisalpine Gaul.
The first historical mention of the town dates to 980. In 1078, the consuls of Sassuolo swore loyalty to the commune of Modena. In 1373, the city passed to the Este family at the request of the citizens themselves, who obtained the right to extract water from the river Secchia.
The town was also the capital of the homonymous signoria, led by the house of Pio and existing from 1499 to 1599, when it was directly annexed to the Duchy of Modena and Reggio of which it remained a possession until the Italian Unification.

Title

As a titular Duke of Modena, the current holder of the title of "Lord of Sassuolo" would theoretically be Prince Lorenz of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este, however, the 1947 Constitution of Italy explicitly does not recognize any titles of nobility.

Geography

Located in the central-western area of its province, at the border with Reggio Emilia, Sassuolo borders with the municipalities of Casalgrande, Castellarano, Fiorano Modenese, Formigine, Prignano sulla Secchia and Serramazzoni. It counts the hamlets of Montegibbio, Salvarola Terme and San Michele dei Mucchietti.

Main sights

The industrial growth of Sassuolo began in the 1950s. Eighty percent of all Italian ceramic tiles are produced here, with more than 300 ceramic factories operating in the Sassuolo district. The city is currently the centre of Italian tile industry and one of the most important tile producers in the world.

People

Sassuolo is the home town of Serie A side U.S. Sassuolo Calcio; it also includes the stadium Stadio Enzo Ricci. However, the team no longer play games in the city, having moved first to Stadio Alberto Braglia in Modena which was Sassuolo's temporary home while playing in Serie B from 2008 and subsequently to Reggio Emilia at the renovated Stadio Città del Tricolore in a venue-sharing agreement with Lega Pro Prima Divisione club Reggiana.
Upon their promotion to Serie A in 2013 U.S. Sassuolo Calcio; joined a select group of teams not belonging to a provincial capital city: Empoli, Legnano, Pro Patria, Carpi and Casale.
Volley Sassuolo is the local volleyball team.
The Memorial Argo Manfredini tennis tournament is played in the city.

Typical products