Ficarolo
Welcome to Ficarolo: a brief journey through the town's history
Hello friends, welcome to Ficarolo, a small municipality of 2167 inhabitants located in the province of Rovigo, in Veneto. If you are curious to discover a bit of history about this interesting place, you are in the right place.
According to some scholars, the origins of Ficarolo date back to the Roman Empire, but the certain documentation only arrives with a document from 936. At that time, Ficarolo was part of the county of Ferrara and was located on the left bank of the Po River along with the settlement of Settepolesini, which today is a fraction of Bondeno. In 970 the town is described as a castle and begins to assume a prominent role.
The creation of Po di Ficarolo
Ficarolo also earned a place in history with the so-called break of Ficarolo, which occurred in 1152. It was a series of breaches that caused the creation of a new branch of the Po River called Po di Ficarolo, which soon became the main course of the river. This event also led to the removal of the settlement of Settepolesini on the left bank of the Po.
The fortress of Ficarolo
The fortress of Ficarolo was an important checkpoint on the Po River, along with its twin on the southern bank of the river, the Stellata di Bondeno. During the Ferrara War of 1482-1484, it was besieged by the Venetians and capitulated only after a staunch defense by the garrison. The peace of Bagnolo marked the return of some territories under the Duchy of Ferrara, including Ficarolo, which became part of the so-called Ferrarese Transpadane under the control of the Estensi.
The transition to the Kingdom of Italy
After the end of the rule of the Estensi in 1598, the territory of Ferrara passed under the Papal State. In 1796, during the period of Napoleon Bonaparte, Ficarolo became part of the Basso Po department and subsequently in the Cisalpine Republic in 1802, in the Italian Republic in 1805, and in the Kingdom of Italy in 1814.
The transition to the Lombardo-Venetian Kingdom and the province of Rovigo
After the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the borders of the Polesine di Rovigo were shifted on the Po River and Ficarolo became part of the Lombardo-Venetian Kingdom. Finally, after almost a millennium as part of Emilia-Romagna, the town became part of the province of Rovigo and Veneto.
This is just a brief overview of the history of Ficarolo, but I hope it has aroused your curiosity for this delightful Venetian municipality. Come and visit it and discover its beauty in person!
