Grancona
Hi friends, are you ready to discover Grancona?
Hello friends, today I will tell you about Grancona, a village in the Italian municipality of Val Liona, in the province of Vicenza. Until February 17, 2017, this town was an autonomous municipality, along with the villages of San Gaudenzio and Spizza. Grancona is situated in the central-western area of the Berici hills, in the valley of the Liona stream. You may wonder where it is? I am happy to tell you that it is not far from Zovencedo, east of the Altavilla Vicentina area and the center of Vicenza, towards the border with Padua.
Physical geography
Grancona is located in a very picturesque area. You can find the parish church at an elevated position at 270m above sea level, dominated to the north by Mount Mazzabò of 968m. Not far from it are the locality of Corrubio and the inhabited center of Pederiva, located on the ground at 150m where the town hall is located.
Origin of the name
Are you curious to know where the name of this city comes from? It is uncertain, and there have been different etymological hypotheses presented. Some scholars think it derives from Latin "cancer," meaning "crab." This could be due to the presence of freshwater crabs in the rivers of the area. Others believe it comes from the Lombard "krankenhaus," which means "hospital, home of suffering or disease." A third hypothesis is that it derives from "granza," meaning "cultivated land." Finally, some believe that Grancona is a word referring to the communities of Benedictine and Cistercian monks, who worked on the hydraulic reclamation of the territory, and that the name may derive from "grangia."
History
Are you ready to travel back in time? The neoclassical church of Grancona has stood for over a century on Castellaro, the hill where an imposing castle was once built. Only the foundations and a few breaches remain of the castle. The castle was built in the 10th century to contain a chapel and, especially, to defend the population from the invasions of the Hungarians. In 1209, during the struggles between the Guelfs and the Ghibellines, the Guelf Vicentines found refuge, preparing to strike back at Ezzelino II the Monk. However, Ezzelino besieged the fortified walls and, after capturing it, destroyed them. The castle suffered serious damage in 1227, at the hands of Alberico da Romano, during the struggles with the bishop of Vicenza. Despite everything, the castle was a place of refuge from invasions and civil wars, but also an oasis of peace and tranquility in peaceful times. The bishops of Vicenza stayed there several times and issued some decrees from the castle, such as in 1266, three acts of investiture, signed with the phrase "in castrum Granconae." The castle was finally destroyed by the Venetians at the end of the war against the league of Cambrai in 1500. In 1530, the parish church was built on the spot where it once stood inside the castle, perhaps dating back to the 4th century AD. The ruins of the castle were used for the reconstruction, leaving imprints in some parts of the building that are still visible today. Subsequently, the church underwent numerous restorations until 1872, when the hill was flattened with the planning of the new church. The current neoclassical church is flanked by a stone bell tower, with a bell chamber supported by a battlemented hallway.
Conclusions
In conclusion, I am sure you enjoyed this guided tour through the streets of Grancona. This town, with its history and its imposing castle, will transport you back in time. But don't forget to admire the beauty of the surrounding landscape, which will leave you speechless. We can't wait to go back to Grancona to admire new beauties and discover even more hidden secrets!
