Busseto, Italy

Busseto
Comune
Comune di Busseto
The Rocca Pallavicino in Busseto
Busseto Location of Busseto in Italy
Coordinates: 44°59′N 10°03′E / 44.983°N 10.050°E / 44.983; 10.050Coordinates: 44°59′N 10°03′E / 44.983°N 10.050°E / 44.983; 10.050
Country	Italy
Region	Emilia-Romagna
Province	Parma (PR)
Frazioni	Contrada della Chiesa, Frescarolo, Madonna Prati, Le Roncole, Samboseto, San Rocco, Sant'Andrea, Semoriva, Spigarolo
Government
• Mayor	Maria Giovanna Gambazza
Area
• Total	76 km2 (29 sq mi)
Population (31 December 2011)
• Total	7,095
• Density	93/km2 (240/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Bussetani
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	43011
Dialing code	0524
Website	Official website

Busseto (Bussetano: Büsé; Parmigiano: Busèjj) is a comune in the province of Parma, in Emilia-Romagna in Northern Italy with a population of about 7,100. Its history has very ancient roots which date back to the 10th century, and for almost five hundred years it was the capital of Stato Pallavicino.

The first written sources the name "Busseto" were in the form of "Buxetum", which dates from the early twelfth century. It is believed that the town's name derives from "buxus" (meaning boxwood) or, in another form, as "busetum" (an enclosure for oxen).

The "Rocca", the fortress was built in the time of Adalberto Pallavicini, founder of the family, in the eleventh century. In the first half of the thirteenth century, it was completely rebuilt and surrounded by a moat and a drawbridge linking it to the square. In time, however, it was destroyed and rebuilt several times and then lost the drawbridge and part of the walls. In 1857 it was again rebuilt almost entirely in the neo-Gothic style by architect Pier Luigi Montecchini. The present-day Rocca has preserved the original keep and the main tower. La Rocca, within which lies the Teatro Verdi, it is now the Municipal Palace, the seat of the municipality of Busseto.

Opera composer Giuseppe Verdi was born in the nearby village of Le Roncole in 1813 and he moved to the town in 1824. Other figures from the world of opera are associated with the town: until his death, retired tenor Carlo Bergonzi owned the hotel I due Foscari, which also hosts the Accademia Verdiana. Bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni grew up there from the age of four after his family moved to Busseto in 1979, where his father owned a car-repair firm and his mother was a teacher. It was in that town where, he noted, "you feel Verdi's spirit all over the place!" and where his love of opera began. Italian journalist Giovannino Guareschi also lived in Le Roncole, and his Mondo Piccolo is set there.