Loreo

Loreo
Country	Italy
region	Veneto
province	Rovigo  (RO)
Coordinates	45 ° 4 ′  N , 12 ° 12 ′  E Coordinates: 45 ° 4 ′ 0 ″  N , 12 ° 12 ′ 0 ″  E
height	1  m slm
surface	39.59 km²
Residents	3,392 (Dec. 31, 2019)
Population density	86 inhabitants / km²
Post Code	45017
prefix	0426
ISTAT number	029030
Popular name	loredani
Patron saint	Michael (Archangel)

Loreo is an Italian municipality with 3392 inhabitants (as of December 31, 2019) in the Italian province of Rovigo . The history of Loreo goes back to the Venetian and Etruscan times. From the 11th to the 18th century, the place belonged to the direct rulership of Venice . The local dialect is strongly influenced by there and differs significantly from that of the neighboring towns that did not belong to Venice.

Location Loreos in the province of Rovigo

history

Romans

The Canale di Loreo.

Venetians settled near the former coastline ( septem mària ), but settlement structures can only be identified after the Roman conquest around 225 BC. Around the portus Laureti , the port of Loreo. Possibly the name goes back to Lauretum, from laurel forest . The most important Roman site in the Po Delta , the Polesine , is Corte Cavanella near the south bank of the Adige . From there, the Mansio Fossis on Via Popilia , extensive bonuses were made.

Byzantines, Lombards

Loreo was associated with the Republic of Venice from an early age . Around 550 the city in connection with the re-conquest of Italy by the armies of the emperor was Justinian I re- byzantine . But the Lombards' invasion created a precarious situation there, the cities shrank, many of them disappeared.

Venice (from 992)

Corte Ca 'Negra in the Ca' Negra district, near the border with Cavarzere

The abandoned Villa Vianelli

In 992, under Doge Pietro II Orseolo , Venice took over the place, which became one of the southernmost of the Dogado , the immediate area under the rule of Venice. A Gastalde acted there in the border area to Ferrara as a deputy. According to the Venetian model, a city with narrow streets was created, which still shape the image of the core city today. In addition, the city was on the Naviglio , a navigable canal. The most important branch of industry was salt production , for which King Otto III. In 992 Venice offered the protection of the salt in addition to the confirmation of its privileges. In 1017 the Bishop of Adria tried in vain to get the salt production into his hands.

To counteract such attempts at conquest, Venice built a fortified tower in 1094, which was followed by other castra , which were supposed to protect the narrow territory on the mainland from invasions, and above all the lagoon behind it . The existence of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta can also be traced back to around 1090. In the 11th and 12th centuries there were constant disputes over trade and control rights between Venice and the larger mainland cities such as Ferrara. On June 23, 1226, Venice and Ferrara signed the Treaty of Loreo , which temporarily ended their disputes. Extensive conflicts led to four wars with Genoa , the last of which, the Chioggia War , temporarily brought Loreo into Genoese hands alongside Chioggia and Cavarzere in 1379. On January 21, 1380, however, Carlo Zeno and Vettor Pisani managed to recapture the city.

Loreo had a certain importance for trade because a large part of the trade with Emilia and Lombardy was carried out via the Naviglio, part of today's Canal Bianco . Customs offices existed in Cavanella Po (a district of Adria) and in Loreo. In the district of Tornova there is an inscription from 1785 on Istrian stone near the river, on which the tariffs and the customs duties are recorded. In the 1780s the town had about 2000 inhabitants, the district with 11 places around 12,000.

The Po flowed into the Adriatic in eleven mouths called bocche : Goro, Donzellina, Gnocca, Scoetta, Camello, Tole and Maistra, plus the old mouths of Caleri and Levante. The connection to Venice and the navigability of the arms of the Po and the canals were conducive to the development of shipbuilding. One of the most important shipyards was the Squero Doni , founded in 1613 , which had its heyday in the 18th century. Both the boats for river traffic and ocean-going ships were built there. The municipality's library is located in the city prison, which can be traced back to 1537.

French and Austrians (1797–1866)

With the end of the republic in 1797 Loreo first became French, then Austrian; Vienna created the province of Adria on February 27, 1798. In 1800 the French returned, Loreo now belonged to the Adriatique department . At first Loreo belonged to the Repubblica Italiana , then from 1805 to the Kingdom of Italy . After the defeat of Napoleon , the area became part of the Austrian kingdom of Lombardy-Veneto . It was not until 1866 that it was connected to Italy with Veneto.

Italy (since 1866)

In 1866 Loreo came to Italy with the entire Austrian territory. In 1871 the place had 3609 inhabitants, a number that increased steadily until 1921, to reach 6176 that year. After that, the population stagnated until 1951, when it still rose to 6714.

During the long economic crisis that hit northern Italy in the 19th century, many residents left the region. In 1951 there was also a huge flood through the Po. Ten years later, the population had slumped to 4604, and since 1971 it has stagnated a little over 3700.

Attractions

The bridge to Via Roma, part of the Guglielmo Marconi Riviera.

In addition to the old town based on the Venetian model, the churches are particularly worth seeing. This includes the Santuario di Loreo (cathedral). It was completed in 1675; the church can be traced back to 1094.

The church of Santa Maria Assunta , which can be traced back to the end of the 11th century, was redesigned by Baldassare Longhena much later after the fire of 1510, namely between 1658 and 1675 . Inside there are paintings, for example by Andrea Vicentino ( San Vincenzo Ferrer tra cinque Santi ) and Antonio Martinetti ( Il transito di San Giuseppe ). The organ dates from 1787 and was restored in 1992. It comes from Gaetano Callido (1727-1813). Recent excavations have unearthed a ravennatic floor mosaic that goes back to pre-Christian times.

Also worth mentioning are the Oratory of the Holy Trinity, which was created in 1603, and finally the Chiesa della Madonna del Pilastro , which already existed in 1489 and which is one of the oldest churches in Polesine. It was remodeled in 1553.

The baroque Villa Vianelli in Frazione Tornova is located in a rural area.

The Teatro Zago from 1891

In 1891 the Teatro Zago was built in the desecrated Santi Pietro e Monica church . In 1919 it was rebuilt and received a loggia on the upper floor, and the facade was modernized. From 1962 to 1981 it served as a cinema. It has been empty since then.

traffic

Loreo is located near the Strada Statale 309 Romea and is on the Strada Provinciale 45 with Adria and Rosolina and Porto Viro direction Po Delta connected.

Events

The most famous event in Loreo is the assembly of the Confraternità della SS. Trinità . Several hundred fraternity members from all over Veneto, Emilia , Lombardy , Trentino and South Tyrol as well as Piedmont take part in the annual flagellation of the perhaps 3000 fradèi . It was brought into being by the Bishop of Chioggia Lorenzo Prezzato in 1603. It is held non-public and accompanied by processions and masses.

The Mass of St. Michael (Fiera di S. Michele) has been held on September 29th since 1337. This is particularly important for the inhabitants of the delta.

literature

• Il Veneto paese per paese , Casa Editrice Bonechi, Florence 1997.
• Enciclopedia del Polesine. Il Basso Polesine: Atlante polesano del Delta del Po , Rovigo 2007.

Web links

Commons : Loreo  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Statistiche demografiche ISTAT. Monthly population statistics of the Istituto Nazionale di Statistica , as of December 31 of 2019.
2. ↑ L. Sanesi Mastrocinque: Rovigo. L'insediamento romano di Corte Cavanella (Loreo). Rapporto preliminare , in: QdAV 1 (1985) 11-23.
3. ^ L. Sanesi: Il Polesine in età romana in base ai recenti scavi condotti ad Adria, a Corte Cavanella di Loreo e Runzi , in: Padusa XXVI-XXVII (1990-91), pp. 291-305.
4. ↑ Bernardo Trevisano: Della Laguna di Venezia Trattato , in: Giornale de letterati d'Italia 26 (1716) 142-185, mentioned here: p. 150, Emperor Otto III. ceded Loreto to Venice. A corresponding certificate is in the possession of the author.
5. ↑ Vincenzio Antonio Formaleoni: Topografia veneta, ovvero, Descrizione dello stato veneto , vol. 3, Venice: Giammaria Bassaglia 1787, p. 277.
6. ↑ Vincenzio Antonio Formaleoni: Topografia veneta, ovvero, Descrizione dello stato veneto , vol. 3, Venice: Giammaria Bassaglia 1787, p. 276.