Corte Franca
Welcome to Corte Franca!
Are you ready to discover a small but historically rich municipality in the wonderful Franciacorta? We are happy to introduce you to Corte Franca, a scattered municipality of approximately 7,141 people in the province of Brescia. Located not far from the beautiful Lake Iseo, it offers breathtaking landscapes and views.
Discovering the Territory of Corte Franca
The territory of Corte Franca includes the hamlets of Borgonato, Colombaro (part of Corte Franca), Timoline, and Nigoline. The town hall was located in Nigoline from 1928, but was later transferred to Timoline. The area of Corte Franca has been inhabited since ancient times and this is demonstrated by numerous archaeological excavations in the area, where finds dating back to various eras have been discovered.
Meaning of the name Corte Franca
The name Corte Franca derives from the monastic courts which were exempt from tribute, which in the Brescian dialect is indicated as "Cortifranche". This meaning is found more in the hamlets of Borgonato and Timoline mentioned in ancient documents as monastic courts.
The History of Corte Franca
The municipality of Corte Franca holds a large amount of architectural traces left over the centuries in the four hamlets. Borgonato, Nigoline, and Timoline are cited for the first time in the Lombard-Carolingian period (8th century-9th century) in documents that speak of the Church of San Salvatore of Brescia. Archaeological excavations have shown the presence of a furnace and a villa dating back to the Roman era in the locality of Fornaci Quattrovie, as well as a Gallo-Roman necropolis in Timoline.
The Administrative History of Corte Franca
From the 15th century to the present day, the four constituent municipalities of Corte Franca have followed the administrative history of Brescia, being part of the Republic of Venice until 1797. Following the Napoleonic occupation, in 1797 they became part of the Republic of Brescia and then of the Cisalpine Republic. In 1814, the territories of the Kingdom of Italy were merged into the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia and the four municipalities became part of the province of Brescia.
Corte Franca and Aberdour
Corte Franca has a special connection with Aberdour, a municipality in Scotland, with which twinning was decided on September 30, 2003. This link has created a cultural and social union between the two countries.
We are happy to have accompanied you in discovering Corte Franca, a municipality that holds its history and traditions. If you come to visit us, you will be welcomed with great hospitality and will be able to admire the beauty of this area of Lombardy.
