Gossolengo
Gossolengo: the Italian municipality in Emilia-Romagna
Hello everyone, today I want to talk to you about an Italian municipality in the province of Piacenza: Gossolengo.
Physical geography
Gossolengo is located on the right bank of the Trebbia river, about 15 kilometers southwest of the center of Piacenza and at an altitude of 88 meters above sea level. But perhaps the most interesting thing from a geographical point of view is that the town of Gossolengo is crossed by the 45th parallel! In particular, the town hall in Piazza Roma is located right on its path. So, if you are passionate about geography and cartography, Gossolengo is the right place for you.
Origin of the name
According to popular tradition, the name Gossolengo derives from "long bone", the femur of a large mammal found in a ditch. The find was believed to belong to the body of an African Loxodonta, an animal also depicted in the municipal coat of arms, as the area was affected by the passage of Hannibal's troops during the Battle of Trebbia.
But there is also another theory about the origin of the name, more accredited by scholars. Linguist Giovan Battista Pellegrini, in his book "Italian Toponomastics", suggests that the toponym has Germanic origins, as the suffix "-engo" is present. It could derive from the Germanic personal name "Gauzilo" or from an ethnonym attributable to the Gothic people, of Gothic matrix and later Lombard language. Through various transformations, one would have arrived at the current name of Gossolengo.
History
The area of Gossolengo has a very ancient history. Since the Paleolithic, it has been frequented by many peoples, including the Etruscans. But one of the most important battles that took place in the area was that of Trebbia, fought on December 18, 218 BC between the Roman legions led by the consul Tiberius Sempronius Longus and the Carthaginian troops of Hannibal. It was a bloody battle that saw the victory of the opponents.
Subsequently, the area became the property of the Benedictine monks of the Basilica of San Savino and the Cathedral of Piacenza. In the twelfth century, the Castle of Gossolengo was built.
During the Late Middle Ages, Gossolengo's history was closely linked to that of Piacenza. In 1314, the area of Gossolengo was the scene of a battle between the Lord of Piacenza Alberto Scotti and the Visconti, eager to expand south of the course of the river Po. In 1536, there was a battle between the Farnese, lords of Parma and Piacenza, and the Spanish troops.
Gossolengo also experienced difficult times such as the plague epidemic that raged in 1630, which claimed numerous victims. Between 1636 and 1637, the village suffered numerous looting by French and Spanish troops. In 1746-1747, a new plague epidemic reduced the population by 25%.
In 1796, during the Napoleonic wars, Gossolengo was occupied by the troops of Napoleon Bonaparte, who defeated the Austro-Russians in the Battle of Trebbia in 1799.
Conclusions
In short, Gossolengo is a municipality that has a very interesting history and that is worth visiting if you are in the area of Piacenza. As we have seen, its geographical position is very particular, being crossed by the 45th parallel. Furthermore, its name has ancient and fascinating origins, which make us reflect on the history and cultural influences that have given birth to the country we know today.
