The village of Cecciola, in the municipality of Ventasso (Reggio Emilia), was connected to the area surrounding Parma by a mule track, paved in part, that led to Vairo and crossed the Enza river with an ancient arched bridge that no longer exists. Local tradition attributes the building of the bridge to Matilde of Canossa.
Cecciola is one of the most significant villages in the Reggio Emilia mountains, it preserves a complex historic centre with numerous arched underpasses, courtyards and loggias, all connected by a dense network of small cobbled lanes overlooked by portals, windows and tabernacles. The urban layout is on different levels, with the buildings tightly huddled together to limit exposure to the winds.
Ancient buildings in the village demonstrate the typical aspects of architecture in the Reggio Emilia Apennines such as the large two-storey square layout, the stone slab roofs and the limited number of windows, framed in finely fluted sandstone.
The facade of the small church, dedicated to Maria Assunta, has a fine sculpted stone portal dated 1885.
The town features numerous portals of different shapes: the oldest appears to date back to 1592.
Numerous marble sculptures of saints protrude from the walls of the houses, mostly sculpted in relief; small aedicules or pillars enclose sacred images of larger dimensions, often of fine workmanship.
Emilia-Romagna Film Commission
Viale Aldo Moro 38 — 40127 Bologna
Phone: +39 051 5278753
Email: filmcom@regione.emilia-romagna.it
