Bagnolo San Vito
Bagnolo San Vito: The City of Waters and Saints
Bagnolo San Vito is a municipality located in the province of Mantova in Lombardy. The city, with its population of 5,854, is situated around 10 kilometers southeast of the provincial capital, Mantova. The municipal territory is bounded by the Po river to the south and the Mincio river to the north. Thanks to its hydraulic works, including the master dikes of the Po and Mincio rivers, and the vast floodplain, the landscape is characterized by many hydraulic structures.
Physical Geography
The municipality, consisting of six inhabited centers, is located along the SS413 Roman road and straddles the "Mantova Sud" motorway exit of the A22 motorway (Italy). This has caused a concentration of the municipal population in San Biagio and Bagnolo San Vito. At the end of 2008, these two districts accounted for approximately 80% of the municipal population, with 2,510 inhabitants in Bagnolo San Vito and 2,109 in San Biagio.
Origins of the Name
The name of Bagnolo San Vito may derive from the Latin "balneum" (swamp) and the Saint San Vito.
History
Monuments and Places of Interest
Bagnolo San Vito boasts some interesting tourist attractions, such as Villa Riva Berni and the Archaeological Park of Forcello. The latter has been excavated since 1981 and has unearthed artifacts dating back to the pre-Roman period.
Society
Demographic Evolution
The population of Bagnolo San Vito has constantly been increasing. During the 20th century, the center of gravity shifted from San Nicolò Po to San Biagio and Bagnolo San Vito. The demographic increase of these two districts continued into the first decade of the 21st century.
Culture
Bagnolo San Vito was the perfect location to film all the scenes of the movie "Centochiodi" directed by Ermanno Olmi in 2005. The story is set in the municipality of Bagnolo San Vito.
Economy
The "Città della Moda" shopping center, part of the Italian Outlet group "Fashion District," was built in the early 2000s in the immediate vicinity of the Mantova Sud motorway exit. The large structure has boosted the economy of the municipality and the entire province, becoming the main economic driver of Bagnolo San Vito. Besides the commercial sector, the primary sector prevails with the presence of several dairy farms and slaughterhouses that support livestock farming. A weekly market is held in the city every Sunday.
Infrastructure and Transport
Within the municipal territory (in the San Biagio district), there is the Mantova Sud motorway exit of the A22 motorway (Italy). The municipality is crossed by the former SS413 Roman road. Until 1934, the municipality was crossed by the Brescia-Mantova-Ostiglia interurban tramway, which made two stops along the current SS413 road, one in the San Biagio district and one at Ponte Travetti.
In summary, Bagnolo San Vito is a city with a rich hydraulic heritage and some interesting places of interest. The city boasts a thriving economy with a modern shopping center and agriculture. It has also been the subject of an important Italian film.
