Tollana

Tollana is a small municipality situated in the northern Italian region of Emilia‑Romagna, within the administrative boundaries of the Province of Reggio Emilia. The town lies approximately 8 kilometres west of Reggio Emilia city centre, nestled in the fertile plains of the Po Valley. With an area of roughly 12 square kilometres, Tollana has a population of just over 1,200 residents according to the latest demographic surveys.

The origins of Tollana date back to the early Middle Ages, when the area was settled by small agrarian communities. The name is thought to derive from the Latin verb tollere, meaning “to lift” or “to raise,” perhaps alluding to the gradual reclamation of the marshland that previously dominated the landscape. During the 12th and 13th centuries, Tollana was part of the lordship of the Este family, and it retained a modest but stable position as an agricultural hub through the Renaissance and into the modern era.

In contemporary times Tollana’s economy remains largely agricultural, with a focus on dairy farming, cereal crops, and the cultivation of corn for pig feed. The town also houses a number of small artisanal workshops that produce traditional Italian lace and handcrafted pottery. Tourism is limited but growing; visitors are drawn to the historic parish church of San Martino, which dates to the 15th century, and to the nearby remnants of a Roman aqueduct that once supplied water to the region.

Culturally, Tollana hosts an annual summer festival celebrating the harvest, featuring folk music, local cuisine, and a parade of decorated tractors that reflects the town’s farming heritage. The Festa del Rancio, held each August, is a community gathering where residents showcase regional delicacies such as tigelle and casoncelli. The town’s commitment to preserving its rural traditions has earned it recognition within the Emilia‑Romagna network of “Villages of Heritage.”