Caselle Landi
Caselle Landi: a town on the left bank of the Po River
Hello! Today I want to tell you about Caselle Landi, a small Italian municipality in Lombardy located on the left bank of the Po River. The municipality has about 1,490 inhabitants and was founded under the name Caselle Vecchie, which was the name given to the first huts of the Gauls after the Roman victory in 191 BC. The area was then under the rule of the Landi, a noble family from Piacenza, starting from 1262.
The physical geography of Caselle Landi
The town covers an area of about 16 square kilometers and was moved to the left bank of the Po at the end of the 16th century through the canalization of the upper bend of the Po towards the southeast. Despite this, a small part of the municipal territory is still on the right bank of the river, between the municipalities of Piacenza and Caorso. The Nure stream marks the boundary with the municipality of Caorso. In the municipal territory there is also Pozzuolo, a small lake formed by the waters coming from the Po River.
The history of Caselle Landi
As I have already mentioned, Caselle Landi has a long history that goes back to the Gauls and reaches the Landi. The Landi, becoming feudal lords of the area from 1262, built the Castello Vecchio, which was then used as a residence during the 16th century. In the 17th century, adjacent to the Castello Vecchio, another castle was built, commonly called Palazzo Nuovo, on order of Felice Landi. Initially designed with the intent of dedicating it to the service of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Palazzo Nuovo remained in the possession of the Landi. In 1590, the counts Cristoforo and Manfredino Landi, as holders of the feudal privilege over the area, decided to canalize the upper bend of the Po towards the southeast in order to move the territory of Caselle to the left bank of the river. The project was carried out by engineers Alessandro Bolzoni and Scipione Dattari and work began in 1593. Despite moving to the opposite bank of the Po, the municipality remained initially a fiefdom of the Landi family and an integral part of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza.
Caselle Landi remained part of the province of Piacenza until 1798 when, following a state boundary rectification on the Po, it became part of the district of Codogno in the department of Alto Po. The passage was then definitively confirmed with the Congress of Vienna.
Conclusions
In conclusion, Caselle Landi is a town that has a long and fascinating history. From its foundation under the name Caselle Vecchie, passing through the rule of the Landi family until the present day, the town has undergone many transformations. Today it is a peaceful municipality on the left bank of the Po River, where you can admire the Castello Vecchio and Palazzo Nuovo and explore the surrounding area, which offers many outdoor activities. I recommend visiting this beautiful town and discovering its millennial history firsthand. Bye!
