Itinerary along the Porticoes of the Via Emilia

Introduction

From Piazza Cesare Battisti, the beating heart of the city, begins one of Reggio Emilia's most fascinating itineraries: the Via Emilia, the ancient "decumanus maximus" of the Roman city.
This historic axis, which has crisscrossed the Po Valley for over two thousand years, is today an elegant porticoed promenade lined with noble palaces, shops, and historic cafés.

Historic palaces and residences

Along the way, the buildings tell the story of centuries of history and style.
At number 5, on the right, you can admire Palazzo Corbelli, an elegant 19th-century building designed by Pietro Marchelli, a leading architect of neoclassical Reggio.
On the opposite side, on the corner of Via San Nicolò, is Palazzo Guicciardi, renovated in the 18th century by Giovanni Maria Ferraroni and later restored by Marchelli himself for its new owners, the Spalletti Trivelli family.
The interior of this building is surprising for its decorative richness: don't miss the ceiling with Apollo and the Procession of the Hours, a masterpiece by the painter Prospero Minghetti, and the sumptuous ballroom, embellished with fake colonnades and drapes painted by Vincenzo Carnevali, which evoke the atmosphere of grand 19th-century parties.
Tip!
From here, it's worth taking a short stroll along Via San Nicolò: at the end, you'll find the chiesa omonima, on the corner of Via Sessi, and its 15th-century cloister, a quiet and evocative place where time seems to have stood still.

The ancient heart of the Roman city

Ritornando sulla Via Emilia in direzione San Pietro, si oltrepassa Via Roma, punto che corrisponde all’antico incrocio tra il decumano e il cardo massimo della città romana. Quest’ultimo proseguiva verso l’attuale Via Resti fino a raggiungere Via Galgana.
Immaginare il tracciato antico, ancora visibile nella regolarità del tessuto urbano, è come leggere una mappa invisibile che unisce passato e presente.
Returning to the Via Emilia in the direction of San Pietro, you pass Via Roma, a point which corresponds to the ancient crossroads between the decumanus and the cardo maximus of the Roman city. The latter continued towards the current Via Resti until reaching Via Galgana.
Imagining the ancient route, still visible in the regularity of the urban fabric, is like reading an invisible map that unites past and present.

Noble residences and hidden courtyards

The Via Emilia continues to surprise with a series of prestigious 15th-century buildings.
On the right, at the corner of Via Boiardi, is Casa Fiordibelli-Boiardi, followed by the majestic Palazzo Fontanelli Sacrati (numbers 27-29), restored between 1928 and 1929. The internal courtyard houses an ancient well made of Verona marble, a true hidden gem.
A little further on, at the corner of Via San Girolamo, is Palazzo Cassoli, followed by Palazzo Torello-Malaspina, with a charming courtyard of honor with porticoes on three sides, punctuated by elegant sculptures.
The sequence of Renaissance buildings ends with the majestic Palazzo Ruini, opposite the church of San Pietro. The oldest part of the building, overlooking Via San Girolamo, is attributed to the famous Ferrarese architect Biagio Rossetti, the father of Renaissance urban planning.
Tip!
Walk along Via San Girolamo to admire the church of the same name, a small jewel of Reggio Emilia's Baroque style, open to visitors upon request: a blend of grace, light, and stucco decorations.

The Napoleonic Arch and the Customs Gate

Returning to Via Emilia, the walk concludes with two architectural curiosities.
Just after the Church of San Pietro, on the left, stands the Arco del Follo, built between 1797 and 1800 to a design by Domenico Marchelli. The arch celebrates Napoleonic victories and bears witness to the political and artistic enthusiasm that animated the city in those years.
Continuing towards Piazza del Tricolore, the eye is drawn to the only surviving one of the two customs gates designed in 1877 by architect Achille Grimaldi: this small building, once used to control goods entering and leaving the city, now houses one of Reggio Emilia’s municipal pharmacies.
A walk along Via Emilia is not only a cultural itinerary, but a true journey through time: from Roman heritage to 19th-century splendour, among palaces, churches, and stories that make this street unique.