Cerete
Discovering Cerete, a municipality in Lombardy
Cerete is an Italian municipality located in the province of Bergamo, Lombardy, with a population of about 1,590 inhabitants. The town is located in the middle of Val Borlezza, on the right side of the Borlezza river, and its territory is characterized by the presence of the Cula stream, which was used as a driving force for the town's mills. Although Cerete is administratively located in Val Seriana, from a geographical point of view, it belongs to the Oglio mountain water basin, as the river that crosses it flows into Lake Iseo. Cerete is located among the moraine hills that are evidence of the glacier that crossed it for two million years until it reached the plateau of Clusone.
The physical geography of Cerete
The territory of Cerete extends from the altitudes of the riverbed to the highest peak, Cima Lusù, which reaches 1,419 meters. The municipality is made up of three main fractions: Cerete Alto, Cerete Basso, and Novezio, to which the localities of Barcolo and Cedrini are added. The Cula stream runs through the town, and its waters in the height of summer are used as a pleasant tourist attraction for visitors to the area.
A millennial history
Cerete has always been inhabited since prehistoric times, as evidenced by the archaeological findings of Iron Age ceramics, graffiti of undetermined age, and a block of obsidian that suggests frequentation even in the Neolithic era. An early medieval necropolis was found at the entrance of the village, next to the church of San Rocco. The first mention of the Cerete locality dates back to 883 when the San Michele Archangel monastery was donated to the bishop of Bergamo, while in 895 and 901 were confirmations by King Arnolfo of Carinthia and Louis IV the Child. Also, around the year 1000, traces of the existence of an episcopal palace of the bishop of Bergamo were found, equipped with a tower, on Piazza Giovanni XXIII. The territory was supposed to extend from the Presolana pass to the borders between Cerete and Sovere, those before the year 1088, and probably included the territories of Cerete, San Lorenzo di Rovetta, Songavazzo, Onore, Fino del Monte, and Castione della Presolana. Cerete Basso, once an autonomous municipality, was then annexed to the municipality of Gavazzo, maintaining the obligation to correspond to the Curia's tithes.
The beauty of Cerete
The territory of Cerete is characterized by the presence of mills along the Cula stream and the beauty of the natural landscape that surrounds it. The municipality is one of the most suggestive places in the Bergamo Alps, with wide valleys that wind through the town. Cerete Alto is one of the historical centers of the municipality, with narrow alleyways and historic houses that retain the original architectural structure and is also the venue for numerous cultural events. Cerete Basso, on the other hand, is the commercial center of the town and also houses the primary school and sports activities of the locality. Novezio is instead a recently built fraction, characterized by the presence of numerous villas and residential buildings.
Curiosities about the municipality of Cerete
Cerete is a municipality that offers various tourist and cultural opportunities, such as numerous churches belonging to different historical periods, including the Church of San Rocco, the Church of Santa Maria del Carmelo, and the Church of Santa Maria Assunta. Among the cultural events that take place in Cerete, the most important is the carnival, which attracts a large number of visitors every year. Furthermore, the municipality is famous for its typical products such as polenta taragna, salted meats, and Alpine cheeses. Cerete represents an ideal destination for lovers of green tourism, nature, and good food, and offers a spectacular view of the Valle Seriana.
