Levico Terme
Encyclopedia
Levico Terme is a comune (municipality) in Trentino in the northern Italian
region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 15 km southeast of Trento
. As of 1 January 2008, it had a population of 7,164 and an area of 62.9 km².
bottom, at 520 metres on the sea level, 22 km from Trento
and about 110 km from Padua
, on the banks of the Rio Maggiore brook, which is a tributary of Lake Levico, from which originates the Brenta River
.
The city is dominated by the mountains of the Lagorai range on the north, with Monte Fronte (1571 m) and Monte Panarotta (2002 m), and the zone of the Plateaus (Vezzena, Lavarone
, Luserna
, Folgaria
) on the south, where Cima Vezzena, also locally called Pizzo di Levico (1908 m), with its distinctive Austro-Hungarian fort on its top, and Cima Pegolara are located. On the west the
Vigolana range can be seen past the lakes of Levico and Caldonazzo, and on the east the valley opens considerably, and the zone of Borgo Valsugana
can be seen.
The urbanised area is predominantly on the valley floor, with the main urban centre lying on the left side of the river Brenta along with the 'frazioni' of Selva and Campiello, while on the right of the river lie the 'frazioni' of Barco, Santa Giuliana and Quaere. Other hamlets do not lie on the valley floor, though their population is low and often tied to seasonal activities such as tourism (Vetriolo Terme, 1500 m) or mountain activities such as logging, grazing and recreation (Passo Vezzena, 1402 m).
The municipality of Levico Terme is traditionally divided into six 'rioni' (quarters): Chiesa (north-west), Furo (north-east), Grande (south-west) and Cortina (south-east) in the main urban centre, Oltrebrenta comprising all the 'frazioni' on the right bank of the Brenta (Barco, Santa Giuliana, Quaere), and Selva comprising the homonym village and Campiello.
West of the city, above Lake Levico, lies Forte Col De Le Bene, an Austro-Hungarian fort, also known as Forte San Biagio, from the hill it is built on.
The etymology of the name "Levico" is still debated. The major theories make Levico derive from Celtic terms such as 'leoug', 'leak' or 'lewa', signifying "border post/boundary marker", or from the barbaric gentilic 'Letta', from which came 'Levi vicus' then contracted into 'Levicus', or from the Latin '(praedium) Livicune' ("Livius' farm", then vulgarised into 'Lievigo' and 'Levigo') or 'Laevus vicus', "village left [of the river]". The Latin interpretations are the ones most agreed with, given the abundance of Latin terms in the topography of the municipality (such as Furo, from 'forum').
Lombard presence is also cited in various documents and toponyms, such as 'Guizza' (from 'wizza', community graze land).
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 15 km southeast of Trento
Trento
Trento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...
. As of 1 January 2008, it had a population of 7,164 and an area of 62.9 km².
Geography
Levico Terme is located on the highest point of the ValsuganaValsugana
The Sugana Valley is one of the most important valleys in the autonomous province of Trentino in Northern Italy. Leading into the Alps' foothills, an important main north-south Roman road, the Via Claudia Augusta, one of Europe's main roads since its construction in Antiquity, winds along the...
bottom, at 520 metres on the sea level, 22 km from Trento
Trento
Trento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...
and about 110 km from Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
, on the banks of the Rio Maggiore brook, which is a tributary of Lake Levico, from which originates the Brenta River
Brenta River
The Brenta is an Italian river that runs from Trentino to the Adriatic Sea just south of the Venetian lagoon in the Veneto region.During Roman era, it was called Medoacus and near Padua it divided in two branches, Medoacus Maior and Medoacus Minor ; the river changed its course in early Middle...
.
The city is dominated by the mountains of the Lagorai range on the north, with Monte Fronte (1571 m) and Monte Panarotta (2002 m), and the zone of the Plateaus (Vezzena, Lavarone
Lavarone
Lavarone is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 20 km southeast of Trento...
, Luserna
Luserna
Luserna is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 25 km southeast of Trento...
, Folgaria
Folgaria
Folgaria is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 15 km southeast of Trento...
) on the south, where Cima Vezzena, also locally called Pizzo di Levico (1908 m), with its distinctive Austro-Hungarian fort on its top, and Cima Pegolara are located. On the west the
Vigolana range can be seen past the lakes of Levico and Caldonazzo, and on the east the valley opens considerably, and the zone of Borgo Valsugana
Borgo Valsugana
Borgo Valsugana is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 30 km east of Trento....
can be seen.
The urbanised area is predominantly on the valley floor, with the main urban centre lying on the left side of the river Brenta along with the 'frazioni' of Selva and Campiello, while on the right of the river lie the 'frazioni' of Barco, Santa Giuliana and Quaere. Other hamlets do not lie on the valley floor, though their population is low and often tied to seasonal activities such as tourism (Vetriolo Terme, 1500 m) or mountain activities such as logging, grazing and recreation (Passo Vezzena, 1402 m).
The municipality of Levico Terme is traditionally divided into six 'rioni' (quarters): Chiesa (north-west), Furo (north-east), Grande (south-west) and Cortina (south-east) in the main urban centre, Oltrebrenta comprising all the 'frazioni' on the right bank of the Brenta (Barco, Santa Giuliana, Quaere), and Selva comprising the homonym village and Campiello.
West of the city, above Lake Levico, lies Forte Col De Le Bene, an Austro-Hungarian fort, also known as Forte San Biagio, from the hill it is built on.
Ancient history
Traces of inhabitants in the Levico municipality can be found up to the Iron Age, though the first organised settlement springs up during the Roman era.The etymology of the name "Levico" is still debated. The major theories make Levico derive from Celtic terms such as 'leoug', 'leak' or 'lewa', signifying "border post/boundary marker", or from the barbaric gentilic 'Letta', from which came 'Levi vicus' then contracted into 'Levicus', or from the Latin '(praedium) Livicune' ("Livius' farm", then vulgarised into 'Lievigo' and 'Levigo') or 'Laevus vicus', "village left [of the river]". The Latin interpretations are the ones most agreed with, given the abundance of Latin terms in the topography of the municipality (such as Furo, from 'forum').
Lombard presence is also cited in various documents and toponyms, such as 'Guizza' (from 'wizza', community graze land).