Grantorto
Hi everyone! Today I want to talk about Grantorto, a small Italian municipality in the province of Padua, Veneto. Grantorto has a population of about 4530 inhabitants and is crossed by the Brenta river, which makes it very interesting from an environmental point of view. But let's go in order, let's start with the origin of the name!
Origin of the name
The name Grantorto comes from the word "crumum" or "grumum" which means "alluvial plain". This is because the town is located on a long natural ridge, surrounded by countryside that has been shaped by multiple floods and the erosive action of the Brenta river. If we look at a map, we can see that some locations in Northern Italy share the same geographic conformation and origin of the name, such as Grontorto in Cremona, Gromlongo and Grugnotorto in Novara Milanese and Gromlongo, Grumalto and Gronfaleggio in Bergamo. Interesting, isn't it?
History
Remains from the Paleovenetian age have been found, as well as buildings, cinerary urns and Roman coins. In the territory of Grantorto, a gromatic boundary marker has been found which has been dated presumably between 49 BC and the first century AD. This suggests that centuriation works based on the Postumia road, the great Roman road built in 148 BC by Postumio Albino, were underway in the area. During the Middle Ages, there were two small villages in the area of Grantorto, one of which dates back to 1191 with the name of Canfriolo. Today, the inhabitants of the surrounding areas still call this area by that name, although currently there are only small groups of houses.
Physical geography
Grantorto is located in the Venetian-Friulian plain in the area of the resurgences. It is crossed by the Brenta river, which offers an enchanting landscape and an important resource for local fauna and flora.
Conclusions
Grantorto is an interesting place full of history, where it is possible to discover the roots of Italian culture. From traces of the Paleovenetian age to the presence of Romans and barbarian invasions, to the Middle Ages and the modern era, Grantorto allows us to travel through time through the discovery of the territory and the landscape that surrounds it. In short, if you have the opportunity to visit this small municipality, I recommend doing so!
