Pilcante
Pilcante: Its History and Culture
Hello everyone! Today I would like to talk about Pilcante, a village located in the province of Trento, Italy. Did you know that Pilcante is a hamlet of the municipality of Ala, and is located approximately 42.5 km away from the capital? Yes, it is so! But let's talk about the origins of its name... It seems that the village was founded during the Roman era. The name Pilcante was first recorded in 1203, described as a village, documented as "Pulcanto" and in Latin as "Pilchantus". The name Pilcante was then confirmed in 1303. The village's "speaking emblem" is a bridge pier, but the toponym might also derive from "pila", i.e., ancient stone vessels in which wheat and barley were ground. Some are still visible in the village courtyards, used as flower pots.
Its History
Now, let's talk about its history! It is believed that the inhabitants were converted to Christianity, perhaps by Saint Vigilius, however, there is no concrete proof of the existence of a church until August 13, 1319, with the will of Guglielmo da Castelbarco. In that year and in that document, a church is expressly mentioned, and there is certainty that it is the spacious Church of San Martino (Ala). Already in 1539, the Compagnia del SS. Sacramento flourished there. Its official election as a parish took place in 1658. Between 1710 and 1737, the Oratory of S. Anna was built, at the expense of the Confraternity, occupying a section of the cemetery. In March 1716, the village of Pilcante was involved in the disappearance of a peasant accused of witchcraft, Maria Bertoletti.
Monuments and Places of Interest
Let's move on to a very interesting part of the village: its monuments and places of interest. The parish church of San Martino Vescovo was built in the eighteenth century to replace the previous medieval oratory. Moreover, despite its small size, the village of Pilcante boasts many public marble fountains and excellent drinking water that flows from them. Each one stands out in the small rural context, and the architecture was traditionally prepared for the courtesans so that they could wash clothes side by side using the public washbasin and "make filò" (spin thread) at the same time. However, in recent years they have been replaced and/or modified several times, and the streets are no longer embellished with "Ciottolato" but are entirely paved with asphalt.
Its Culture and Language
The official language is Italian, but occasionally the Trentino dialect is used, which actually has different characteristics from the dialect spoken in the rest of the province. This is because "the Val Lagarina dialect has Veronese traits, [...] which become even more evident in the lower part, to the point that I would define the dialect as a southern Trentino dialect, as a passage between the central Trentino and Veronese, sometimes closer to the latter than the former." (Anzilotti 1992, p. 8. Cfr. also Zamboni 1977, p. 46)
Sport
Pilcante is also a very sportive village! In 1972, the Gruppo Sportivo Pilcante was born, on the initiative of a group of friends. One of its major successes was the creation of the male volleyball team of the village, which later gave birth to the Bassa Vallagarina Volley.
In short, Pilcante is a village rich in history and tradition, where culture and sport are very important. If you have the opportunity, I recommend visiting and taking a nice walk through its streets. I hope I have been useful with this little virtual journey to discover Pilcante's reality. See you next time!
