Fontanelle: Guareschi, history and local products

Fontanelle brings together the birthplace of Giovannino Guareschi, local history and regional production. If you are considering a destination for a stay, the museum, church and local products offer different points of interest. The literary connection between Guareschi and the church of San Martino is particularly notable; the Museo Il Mondo piccolo, meanwhile, tells the story of the historical and social development of the Parma plain. Cured meats and wine are also among the local products.

Guareschi and the Museo Il Mondo piccolo

The Museo Il Mondo piccolo is located in the hamlet of Fontanelle, the birthplace of Giovannino Guareschi, and is housed in the former schools. Through the biographies of Guareschi and Giovanni Faraboli, the museum presents the historical and social development of the Parma plain from the late 19th century to the 1960s. Their life stories are set within a broader view of society and its development during this period.

Giovannino Guareschi was born in Fontanelle on 1 May 1908. His connection to the town is also reflected in the work of the Gruppo amici di Giovannino Guareschi association: it preserves some of the documentation about the writer and his birthplace, including photographs and books, and displays an exhibition of past calendars. The museum’s biographical perspective is thus complemented by the materials preserved about Guareschi.

Church, avenue and places of remembrance

The church of San Martino di Tour was built in the 16th century and later extended in the 18th century. It was considered one of the most important models for the church of Don Camillo imagined by Giovannino Guareschi. San Martino thus brings together architectural history and literary significance. Its sacristy also houses a large cupboard that belonged to the church of Stagno.

Fontanelle stretches along a shady avenue of lime trees leading to the church of San Martino. The memory of Giovanni Faraboli is also part of the town’s history: Piazza Balestrieri commemorates him. Faraboli lived from 1876 to 1953 and was a trade unionist and a pioneer of the cooperative movement. The Faraboli monument is also located in Fontanelle. The square and monument offer their own points of interest alongside the church and literary history.

Cured meats and wine from Fontanelle

Azienda Agricola Bré del Gallo produces and ages cured meats, including Culatello di Zibello D.O.P. In centuries-old cellars, it makes wine from Fortana and Malvasia grapes. Cured-meat production and winemaking are two distinct aspects of regional production: one focuses on ageing and a named product, the other on two grape varieties and the old cellars. A path from the Stirone embankment leads to Azienda Agricola Bré del Gallo.

Fontanelle therefore offers several themes to consider when planning your trip: Guareschi’s biography and the literary connection to Don Camillo, the social history of the Parma plain, the architectural history of San Martino, or regional products. The museum’s historical scope runs from the late 19th century to the 1960s; the church’s history points to building phases in the 16th and 18th centuries. If you are looking for hotels in Fontanelle, these differences can help you choose what to explore based on your interests.

Discover other destinations: Calestano, Varsi, Tabiano Castello, Lesignano de' Bagni, Pannocchia, Zibello, Collecchio, Vigatto

For the broader travel overview: Parma.