Gardone Val Trompia
Gardone Val Trompia: A Friendly History
Hello everyone! Today I will talk about Gardone Val Trompia, an Italian town with a long history.
The Sixteenth century
In 1528, the population of Gardone was hit by a severe plague. But thanks to the intercession of Pantaleone di Nicomedia, a doctor and martyr from Nicomedia, the city was freed and the people of Gardone promised to celebrate his feast every year in a solemn way.
During that time, the population of Gardone was growing. So, on January 25, 1543, Cardinal Antonio Pucci, on behalf of Pope Paul III Farnese, granted the separation of the city from the mother-of-church of S. Giorgio di Inzino.
But there was something else going on in the city at that time. With the influence of Lutherans, the Garda heretics made themselves heard. Even though they did not manage to realize their doctrine, they received sympathy and followers.
The Seventeenth century
But let's go to the seventeenth century! In those years, a known criminal story was born, that of the bandit Girolamo Bergomi, nicknamed "Feraglio" and leader of the "Feraij" gang. The gang terrorized the Val Trompia for 18 years with murders, extortions, and robberies. After Girolamo's death, the gang calmed down but returned to activity in 1636 with Girolamo's son, Alfonso Bergomi. The latter surpassed his father in crimes and ruthlessness and, in 1648, after an agreement with Venetian authorities, the gang obtained plenary indulgence in exchange for military service in Istria and Dalmatia.
But in 1630, the city was hit by the plague that killed 500 people. And later, in 1649, a feud between the Cominazzo and Calliani families started in the town, which divided Gardone. The feud ended two years later with the death sentence of Lazzarino Cominassi and Pietro Calliani.
The city title
On September 17, 2001, Gardone Val Trompia received the city title assigned by President of the Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi by virtue of its historical and civic importance. Since then, the city's coat of arms has had a golden wall crown with five towers, representing the city title.
The fractions
Finally, since 1927, the municipality of Gardone Val Trompia has annexed the fractions of Inzino and Magno.
Here's a small overview of Gardone Val Trompia's history. A sometimes difficult, but also rich in events and particular characters. Thanks for reading until the end!
