Berlingo
Berlingo: a town with ancient history
Berlingo is a small Italian municipality located in Lombardy, in the province of Brescia. The town has a population of approximately 2727 inhabitants and is known for its ancient origins and the beauty of the surrounding countryside. In this article, we will explore the physical geography of Berlingo, its history, and the architectural heritage that characterizes it.
Physical Geography
The territory of Berlingo covers an area of about 4 square kilometers and includes, in addition to the main village, the hamlet of Berlinghetto, which is located just 800 meters from the capital. The town is located in the northernmost part of the zone of the "fontanili" and has numerous drainage channels that allow for cultivation of the land and irrigation of the fields. The territory is very rich in greenery and offers magnificent views of the surrounding countryside.
History
Berlingo has ancient origins that can be traced back to a Roman pagus. The toponym of the town, certainly of later times, is explained by various hypotheses that are lost in the mists of time. According to some, the name would be the corruption of the word "labirinto" which in ancient times indicated places owned by the Calini family. Others, instead, associate the name with "berlengum", a term with which, in ancient times, a field with a specific function was indicated, of which the meaning has been lost.
During the high Middle Ages, the territory of Berlingo was linked to the parish of Trenzano, while feudal dominion was entrusted to religious properties such as the Bishop of Brescia, the monasteries of San Faustino and Rodengo. In the course of the 16th century, the Calini family established the villa of Berlingo which had a garden-maze. Later, the Piovanelli della Santella marquises dominated, and in particular, the Martinengo family. The religious and feudal properties started and developed land reclamation and the construction of farms that, although in reduced numbers, still stand in the countryside and above all within the urban nuclei of Berlingo and Berlinghetto.
Among the rural properties, notable are the Martinenga farm, in Berlinghetto, with a marked closed courtyard structure with an important patrician house, and the Piovanelli farm, with remarkable arcades for the marble columns, which stands in the locality of Santella Mora, where several courtyards are grouped together. In the urban territory of Berlingo, we also find the ex Gorno-Tempini Palace which, for centuries, was the property of the Counts Calini and still represents one of the cornerstones of the town.
The architectural heritage of Berlingo
The ex Gorno-Tempini Palace is one of the most important monuments of Berlingo. This complex of historic buildings makes up the structure of the Palace, which was certainly the center of the government of the Calini family's property in the area. The palace consists of many farmhouses scattered in the plains and surrounding lands. The name of the town itself would be linked to the Calini family and, as can be seen from an examination of policies regarding the evaluation of noble families, would be the result of a progressive evolution, carried out between the 16th and 17th centuries, of the name "Labirinto", a name that originally identified the place.
Conclusions
In conclusion, Berlingo is a municipality where history is alive and manifests itself through architectural heritage and the beauty of the surrounding landscape. If you visit our town, we will welcome you with pleasure and we will be happy to show you all the beauties of Berlingo.
