Reggio nell'Emilia

Reggio Emilia
Comune
Comune di Reggio nell'Emilia
Piazza San Prospero in Reggio Emilia
Coat of arms
Reggio Emilia Location of Reggio Emilia in Italy
Coordinates: 44°42′N 10°38′E / 44.700°N 10.633°E / 44.700; 10.633Coordinates: 44°42′N 10°38′E / 44.700°N 10.633°E / 44.700; 10.633
Country	Italy
Region	Emilia-Romagna
Province / Metropolitan city	Reggio Emilia (RE)
Frazioni	see list
Government
• Mayor	Luca Vecchi (PD)
Area
• Total	231 km2 (89 sq mi)
Elevation	58 m (190 ft)
Population (31 May 2013)
• Total	173,013
• Density	750/km2 (1,900/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Reggiani
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	42121-42122-42123-42124
Dialing code	0522
Patron saint	San Prospero
Saint day	November 24th
Website	Official website

Reggio Emilia ([ˈreddʒo eˈmiːlja], also [ˈrɛddʒo]; Emilian: Rèz, Latin: Regium Lepidi) is a city in northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has about 170,000 inhabitants and is the main comune (municipality) of the Province of Reggio Emilia.

The town is also referred to by its more official name of Reggio nell'Emilia  listen . The inhabitants of Reggio nell'Emilia (called Reggiani, while the inhabitants of Reggio di Calabria are called Reggini) usually call their town by the simple name of Reggio. In some ancient maps the town is also named Reggio di Lombardia.

The old town has an hexagonal form, which derives from the ancient walls, and the main buildings are from the 16th–17th centuries. The comune's territory is totally on a plain, crossed by the Crostolo stream.

Reggio began as a historical site with the construction by Marcus Aemilius Lepidus of the Via Aemilia, leading from Piacenza to Rimini (187 BC). Reggio became a judicial administration centre, with a forum called at first Regium Lepidi, then simply Regium, whence the city's current name.