Alfonsine
| Alfonsine | |
|---|---|
| Comune | |
| Comune di Alfonsine | |
 Alfonsine
|
|
| Coordinates: 44°30′N 12°3′E / 44.500°N 12.050°ECoordinates: 44°30′N 12°3′E / 44.500°N 12.050°E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Emilia-Romagna |
| Province / Metropolitan city | Ravenna (RA) |
| Frazioni | Fiumazzo, Taglio Corelli, Villa Pianta, Filo, Longastrino, Borgo Gallina, Borgo Seganti |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Angelo Antonellini |
| Area | |
| • Total | 106.8 km2 (41.2 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 6 m (20 ft) |
| Population (30 April 2008) | |
| • Total | 11,739 |
| • Density | 110/km2 (280/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Alfonsinesi |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code | 48011 |
| Dialing code | 0544 |
| Patron saint | Madonna delle Grazie |
| Saint day | 8 September |
| Website | Official website |
Alfonsine is a comune (municipality) in the province of Ravenna in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. It is located 60 kilometres (37 mi) east of Bologna and 15 kilometres (9 mi) northwest of Ravenna.
It is located between the Senio River and the Adriatic Sea. Its economy is based mostly on agriculture, especially wine and fruit production.
There are two main theories regarding the origin of the name Alfonsine. The most widely accepted theory, based on documents dating back to the early 16th century, is that the town is named after Alfonso Calcagnini, credited with reclaiming land from the marshes on which the town was founded. The second hypothesis is attributed to Antonio Polloni, who in his 1966 book Toponomastica Romagnola (“The geographical structure of the region of Romagna”), postulates that the name derives from the Latin term "fossa" (man-made ditch, channel), and that only later, by coincidence, it was influenced by the name of Alfonso Calcagnini.
Alfonsine was founded in 1464 when some land north of the city of Fusignano, consisting primarily of wetlands, was donated by Borso d'Este to Teofilo Calcagnini who began an aggressive reclamation process. In 1468 Calcagnini expanded his territory through the acquisition of additional land north of Fusignano from a Venetian noble. The original town center was developed in part on land north of the Senio river and in part around the church of Nostra Signora (Our Lady), built in 1502 by Alfonso Calcagnini, Teofilo's son.
This area was disputed territory between the city-state of Ravenna and the land controlled by the Este family. A compromise was eventually signed in 1506, giving the land to Ravenna. In 1509, the territories under the domain of Ravenna came under the control of the Papal States. In 1519 Pope Leo X transferred ownership of the region to Theophilus Calcagnini. To honor his benefactor Calcagnini called his land "Leonian territory". The Calcagnini family became feudal Lords on behalf of both the Church and the Este family. The family's position was confirmed by pope Clement VIII at the end of the 16th century.
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Wikipedia