Badia Polesine
Badia Polesine: the industrial heart of Alto Polesine
If you're traveling through the province of Rovigo, you can't miss Badia Polesine. This Venetian town of 10,004 inhabitants is located to the west of the provincial capital and is the reference point for the entire Alto Polesine area. Badia Polesine is known above all for the presence of numerous industries and is therefore considered the industrial hub of the area.
The physical geography of Badia Polesine
The territory of Badia Polesine is bordered to the north by the River Adige, which separates it from the province of Padua. It is precisely on the River Adige that the bridge connecting Badia Polesine to the neighboring town of Masi is located. The town is crossed by the Naviglio Adigetto, an artificial canal that developed from a route of the River Adige. The Naviglio Adigetto divides the settlement into two main areas and is flanked by two roads with vehicular traffic. There are also other canals and drainage ditches in the municipal territory.
The history of Badia Polesine
Badia Polesine has ancient origins: before its current name, the town was known as "La Badia," in reference to the Abbey of Vangadizza around which the settlement had developed. The Vangadizza was built in the 900s by the Marquis of Mantua Almerigo and was subsequently ceded to the monks of the Order of Saint Benedict.
During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Badia Polesine was contested by the various powers that dominated northern Italy: the Estensi, the Padovani, and the Republic of Venice. It later came under French and then Austrian control. It was only in 1866 that Veneto was annexed to the Italian state.
Badia Polesine was also the concluding city of the ancient Romea Annia pilgrimage route. Pilgrims who came from Northern Europe and Eastern European countries converged towards the important Roman center of Iulia Concordia, now Concordia Sagittaria. From here, they journeyed for over 200 kilometers through the low Padano-Venetian plain from east to west, arriving at the ancient Abbey of Badia Polesine.
In the nineteenth century, the city underwent significant building development. The Sociale Theater and the hospital were built, and numerous public works were carried out. Furthermore, the bridge over the Adige connecting Badia with the province of Padua and the Verona-Rovigo Railway were constructed.
Conclusions
Badia Polesine is a city rich in history and tradition, but also dynamic and projected into the future thanks to its industrial vocation. If you are in the area, don't miss the opportunity to visit and discover all its beauties. And if you are a history enthusiast, be sure not to miss the opportunity to travel the Romea Annia route and immerse yourself in the places that have seen the passage of thousands of pilgrims from afar.
