Casumaro
Welcome to Casumaro: history and curiosities
Hello friends, today we will talk about Casumaro, a charming hamlet of the municipality of Cento, in the province of Ferrara. Located on the border between the provinces of Ferrara and Modena, the hamlet extends over three municipalities, Cento, Bondeno, and Finale Emilia. Although the official population indicated in the census is about 2,000 inhabitants, the area hosts about 3,000 people.
The history of Casumaro dates back to the 8th century when it was mentioned as part of the Court of Trecentola, thanks to the presence of Ponte Duce, a fortress then located on the border between the Lombard Kingdom and the Exarchate of Ravenna. Over the centuries, this land was disputed between the Duchy of Modena and Reggio and the Papal States until the unification of Italy.
A legend about the name of the village
There are various hypotheses about the original name of Casumaro. The most credited is that the toponym derives from "Casimari", small valley farmers' huts present in this area. Others instead claim that the Lombard countess Richilca, known as Beatrice of Lorraine, and mother of Matilda of Canossa, gave the name Caso Amaro ("Caso" from the ancient Lombard "Kas" = house, and "amargo" from the Latin amarus = bitter) to the place where she lost a son drowned in the river's waters.
Visiting the Church of San Lorenzo
Among the monuments to visit in Casumaro is the Church of San Lorenzo, built-in 1451, at the expense of the Casumaro residents to the Modena curia. It was built on the previous location of a small chapel dedicated to San Lorenzo, who then became the patron saint of Casumaro. The Church stands on the provincial road that crosses the village and presents a Gothic-style facade, which opens with three portals surmounted by circular roses.
Conclusions
In summary, Casumaro is a village full of history, traditions, and uniqueness. Its geographical position makes it special and of great cultural and landscape interest. Visiting it is an experience that allows us to immerse ourselves in a unique and authentic atmosphere, in contact with nature and with ancient stories that make us understand how tough and intense the past times were.
