Castelnuovo
Castelnuovo del Garda: a Venetian municipality
Dear readers,
Today I will talk to you about Castelnuovo del Garda, a municipality in the province of Verona, located in the splendid region of Veneto. With its 13,243 inhabitants, Castelnuovo is about 18 km away from Verona, to the west of the city.
Physical geography
The municipal territory of Castelnuovo del Garda borders Lazise to the north, Bussolengo to the northeast, Sona to the east, Valeggio sul Mincio to the south, and Peschiera del Garda to the west. The western part of the municipality is surrounded by Lake Garda and separates the municipalities of Peschiera and Lazise, but most of the territory extends over the morainic hills.
History
Castelnuovo del Garda has an ancient and fascinating history. The territory has been inhabited since prehistoric times, as evidenced by the discovery of some archaeological artifacts. Anciently, the site was known as "Beneventum"; later it was called "Quadrivium" because of its location among the four cities of Verona, Mantua, Brescia, and Trento.
In the 12th century, Quadrivium was razed to the ground by Barbarossa, and the population decided to build a new fortified settlement, "Castrum novum," which over time became Castelnuovo. The municipality has been under the rule of various rulers over the centuries, ranging from the Signoria degli Scaligeri to that of the Visconti, from the Republic of Venice to the Austrian Empire. In 1867, the municipality changed its name to Castelnuovo di Verona, and finally, in 1970, it acquired its current name, also extending to the shores of Lake Garda.
On April 11-12, 1848, Castelnuovo del Garda was the site of the battle of Castelnuovo, in which many people were killed, and the village was devastated.
Tricolore di Oliosi
On June 24, 1866, during the Battle of Custoza, a group of Italian soldiers defended the Castellano d'Oliosi farm in Oliosi (now a fraction of Castelnuovo del Garda) from enemy attacks. Unable to resist any longer, the Italian soldiers tore the tricolor flag into 13 pieces so as not to give their symbol to the enemy. The pieces were hidden under the soldiers' jackets, and the arrow of the flag was buried under the ashes of the fireplace. After the war, 11 of the portions of the flag were recovered, and the flag was reconstructed, becoming the "Tricolore di Oliosi."
In conclusion, Castelnuovo del Garda is a municipality with an interesting history and a perfect place for nature lovers, thanks to its proximity to Lake Garda and the morainic hills. I suggest visiting this gem of Veneto if you have the opportunity.
