The history of the Po Delta area is the story of a millenary interaction between nature forces and human activities, which fostered the existence of a great variety of environments and cultural highlights on the territory; these elements continue to interact nowadays in a constantly changing context.
The delta territory was born in the course millennia from the deposit of detritus by the river Po: this caused the progressive shifting of the Adriatic coastline.
An area among earth and sea which is continuously evolving, and which serves as a door to the sea for the Po Plain.
Following the steps of medieval pilgrims, and of the Roman garrisons long before, an ideal geographical triangle had (and still has nowadays) at its vertexes the legendary Venice, the magnificent Ferrara and the shining Ravenna. Not to mention, towards the South, the wonderful Rimini.
Archaeological finds have revealed the existence of an Etruscan market in the close Spina, as well as of important trade relationships with Greek and North-European civilisations. The first hydraulic works date back to the Etruscan age too: they were aimed at the development of both navigation, fish culture and agriculture. Later on, the Romans provided the region with sea routes and roads, strengthening its ports and all its economic activities. They also left some important masterpieces of architecture, such as the Harbour of Classe and several churches in Ravenna which, with their wonderful early Christian and Byzantine mosaics, bear testimony to the magnificence of the area in the 5th – 6th century, when Ravenna wasthe capital of the Western Roman Empire and, later on, the seat of the Eastern Empire exarchate. The Romea road, whose stretch between Chioggia and Ravenna was rebuilt in the Middle Ages, was traced between Ravenna and Cattolica along the ancient “ Popilia” road.
The town of Comacchio, protected by its Valli (small lagoons), is a great historical example of lagoon civilisation. Its development started in the Longobard period, thanks to the abundance of fish and salt.

Some important drainage works also contributed to improve the agricultural and hydraulic conditions of the area. The following centuries were characterised by a slow and progressive decline, which caused the territory to turn swampy. It was only in the 16th century that new drainage works were undertaken by Duke Alfonso II D’Este, who chose the Mesola Castle - residence of the Este’s court during the hunting parties in the homonymous wood - as the reference point for the reclamation works to be carried out. The Delta landscape began to regain stability in the 17th century, and especially after the country’s unification, when new huge drainage works were started on thousands of hectares of marshlands, thus bringing dramatic changes to both landscape and human settlements and activities.
Nowadays the delta territory protected by the Park is characterised by different kinds of areas, linked by the theme of water and presenting a wide range of environmental, landscape, animal and plant varieties.