Navazzo
The meaning of the name Navazzo
Navazzo is a hamlet in Gargnano, in the province of Brescia, which takes its name from the Celtic word "nava", meaning "prairie concave or flat field between woods". The same linguistic root is also used to name other nearby locations, such as Navezi in Bollone, Navezze and Naveter in Magasa in the Val Vestino, Navezze in Idro and Gussago.
The history of Navazzo
Navazzo dates back probably to the pre-Roman period, when it was a small settlement inhabited by "Reto-Celtic" populations: Stoni or Galli Cenomani. Located on a plateau near the Val Vestino, Navazzo was connected to the valley through the path of Bocca di Paolone. During the period between 1426 and 1797, Navazzo was a border area between the Republic of Venice, of which it was a part, and the principality County of Tyrol.
During the Napoleonic Wars, Navazzo was involved in several clashes between the French and the Austrian army. Later, from 1861 to 1918, the hamlet was again a border area, this time between the Kingdom of Italy and Austria-Hungary. In May 1513, Scipione Ugoni, a leader of the Serene Republic, plundered the land of Magasa and Cadria, passing through Navazzo. In the seventeenth century, the area became famous for the raids of the bandit Giovanni Beatrici di Gargnano, who took refuge here to escape the Venetian provosts of Salò. In 1866, during the Third War of Italian Independence, Navazzo became a logistic base for the operations carried out by the Italian Volunteer Corps of Giuseppe Garibaldi.
The church of Santa Maria Assunta
Navazzo hosts the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta, dating back to the twelfth century, which preserves inside a painting of the "Assumption of Mary" by Giovanni Andrea Bertanza. The feast of Santa Maria Assunta is celebrated on August 15.
Sports activities
Navazzo is an ideal tourist destination for sports lovers, as it offers numerous opportunities for outdoor recreation. During the summer, the hamlet hosts several international-level sports events, including the Garda ten-mile running race, which has been held every year since 1974.
Bibliography
If you are interested in learning more about the history of Navazzo and the surrounding areas, we recommend consulting the following books: "The Vestino Valley - Local History Notes" by Vito Zeni, published by the Bresciana Civilization Foundation in 1993, "The Riviera del Garda. Gargnano in history and art" by Ugo Perini, edited in Brescia in 1974, "The Seven-Week War. Garibaldi's campaign of 1866 on the Magasa and Val Vestino front" by Gianpaolo Zeni, edited by the Municipality and Library of Magasa in 2006, "To my friends" by Pietro Spinazzi, published by the Genoa Typographic Establishment in 1867, and "Diary of the Garibaldian campaign of 1866" by Carlo Zanoia edited by Alberto Agazzi and published in "Garibaldini Studies", n.
