Valeggio sul Mincio
Encyclopedia
Valeggio sul Mincio is a comune
(municipality) in the Province of Verona
in the Italian
region Veneto
, located about 120 km west of Venice
and about 25 km southwest of Verona
. It is crossed by the Mincio
river.
The economy is mostly based on agriculture, with some craftwork and industrial production. touristically, Valeggio had become renowned as one of the capitals of Tortellini
.
Valeggio sul Mincio borders the following municipalities: Castelnuovo del Garda
, Marmirolo
, Monzambano
, Mozzecane
, Peschiera del Garda
, Ponti sul Mincio
, Roverbella
, Sommacampagna
, Sona
, Villafranca di Verona
, and Volta Mantovana
.
settlements, some tombs dating to the Iron Age
and some findings associated with the Etruscan
civilization. A large Celtic necropolis, found in 1984 still partly buried under the current town, would prove the presence of that people from the 4th century AC and the 1st century DC.
The creation of the villages of Valeggio and Borghetto dates to the Lombard
rule in northern Italy. The monastery of Santa Maria was founded here, on the Mincio shore, was founded here in the 12th century; later it was a priory of the Knights Templar
. The large medieval fortifications which characterize Valeggio (Scaliger castle, the Visconti Bridge and the Serraglio difensive line) were built between the 13th and the 14th centuries. In 1405 Valeggio became part of the Republic of Venice
, and subsequently lost its strategic role, becoming an agricultural center and a silkworms trading market.
After the fall of the Republic of Venice in 1797, Valeggio was included in the Cisalpine Republic
. Later it was part of the Italian Republic (1802-1805) and, after some decades under the Austrian rule, of the newly unified Kingdom of Italy.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
(municipality) in the Province of Verona
Province of Verona
The Province of Verona is a province in the Veneto region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Verona.-Overview:The province has an area of 3,109 km², and a total population of 912,981...
in the Italian
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 Veneto
Veneto
Veneto is one of the 20 regions of Italy. Its population is about 5 million, ranking 5th in Italy.Veneto had been for more than a millennium an independent state, the Republic of Venice, until it was eventually annexed by Italy in 1866 after brief Austrian and French rule...
, located about 120 km west of Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and about 25 km southwest of Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
. It is crossed by the Mincio
Mincio
Mincio is a river in the Lombardy region of northern Italy.Called the Sarca River before entering Lake Garda, it flows from there about 65 km past Mantua into the Po River....
river.
The economy is mostly based on agriculture, with some craftwork and industrial production. touristically, Valeggio had become renowned as one of the capitals of Tortellini
Tortellini
Tortellini are ring-shaped pasta. They are typically stuffed with a mix of meat or cheese. Originally from the Italian region of Emilia , they are usually served in broth, meat broth, either of beef, chicken, or both...
.
Valeggio sul Mincio borders the following municipalities: Castelnuovo del Garda
Castelnuovo del Garda
Castelnuovo del Garda is a comune in the Province of Verona in the Italian region Veneto, located about 120 km west of Venice and about 15 km west of Verona....
, Marmirolo
Marmirolo
Marmirolo is a comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 130 km east of Milan and about 7 km northwest of Mantua...
, Monzambano
Monzambano
Monzambano is a comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 120 km east of Milan and about 25 km northwest of Mantua.-World heritage site:...
, Mozzecane
Mozzecane
Mozzecane is a comune in the Province of Verona in the Italian region Veneto, located about 120 km west of Venice and about 20 km southwest of Verona...
, Peschiera del Garda
Peschiera del Garda
Peschiera del Garda , is a town and comune in the province of Verona, in Veneto, Italy. When Lombardy-Venetia was under Austrian rule, Peschiera was the northwest anchor of the four fortified towns constituting the so-called Quadrilatero...
, Ponti sul Mincio
Ponti sul Mincio
Ponti sul Mincio is a beautiful comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 120 km east of Milan and about 25 km northwest of Mantua...
, Roverbella
Roverbella
Roverbella is a comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 130 km east of Milan and about 11 km north of Mantua....
, Sommacampagna
Sommacampagna
Sommacampagna is a comune in the province of Verona, Veneto, northern Italy.In the frazione of Custoza two battles were fought during the Italian Independence Wars.The town's main football team is Associazione Calcio Somma....
, Sona
Sona, Italy
-Twin towns:Sona is twinned with:* Wadowice in Poland in Bavaria, Germany...
, Villafranca di Verona
Villafranca di Verona
Villafranca di Verona is a town and comune in the province of Verona in the Veneto, Northern Italy.-History:The position on the ancient via Postumia and the perpendicular intersection structure of its roads suggests that the city had Roman origins....
, and Volta Mantovana
Volta Mantovana
Volta Mantovana is a comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 120 km east of Milan and about 20 km northwest of Mantua....
.
History
Archaeological excavations in the Mincio valley include a Bronze AgeBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
settlements, some tombs dating to the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
and some findings associated with the Etruscan
Etruscan
-Etruscan civilization:*Etruscan alphabet*Etruscan architecture*Etruscan art*Etruscan cities*Etruscan civilization*Etruscan coins*Etruscan language*Etruscan mythology*Etruscan numerals*Etruscan society*Etruscan terracotta warriors*Etruscan warfare...
civilization. A large Celtic necropolis, found in 1984 still partly buried under the current town, would prove the presence of that people from the 4th century AC and the 1st century DC.
The creation of the villages of Valeggio and Borghetto dates to the Lombard
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
rule in northern Italy. The monastery of Santa Maria was founded here, on the Mincio shore, was founded here in the 12th century; later it was a priory of the Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
. The large medieval fortifications which characterize Valeggio (Scaliger castle, the Visconti Bridge and the Serraglio difensive line) were built between the 13th and the 14th centuries. In 1405 Valeggio became part of the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
, and subsequently lost its strategic role, becoming an agricultural center and a silkworms trading market.
After the fall of the Republic of Venice in 1797, Valeggio was included in the Cisalpine Republic
Cisalpine Republic
The Cisalpine Republic was a French client republic in Northern Italy that lasted from 1797 to 1802.-Birth:After the Battle of Lodi in May 1796, Napoleon Bonaparte proceeded to organize two states: one to the south of the Po River, the Cispadane Republic, and one to the north, the Transpadane...
. Later it was part of the Italian Republic (1802-1805) and, after some decades under the Austrian rule, of the newly unified Kingdom of Italy.
Main sights
- Borghetto, a frazione with the Ponte Visconteo ("ViscontiHouse of ViscontiVisconti is the family name of two important Italian noble dynasties of the Middle Ages. There are two distinct Visconti families: The first one in the Republic of Pisa in the mid twelfth century who achieved prominence first in Pisa, then in Sardinia where they became rulers of Gallura...
Bridge"), a fortified dam built in 1393 by Gian Galeazzo ViscontiGian Galeazzo ViscontiGian Galeazzo Visconti , son of Galeazzo II Visconti and Bianca of Savoy, was the first Duke of Milan and ruled the late-medieval city just before the dawn of the Renaissance...
, Duke of Milan. The bridge is 650 m long and 25 m wide. It was connected to the nearby Scaliger Castle by two tall merloned walls, and integrated in the fortified complex known as Serraglio which extended for c. 16 km in the Veronese plain up to Nogarole RoccaNogarole RoccaNogarole Rocca is a comune in the Province of Verona in the Italian region Veneto, located about 110 km west of Venice and about 20 km southwest of Verona...
. - Villa Maffei Sigurtà, built in 1690.