Gropello Cairoli
Welcome to Gropello Cairoli: history, location and architecture
Hello friends, today I want to talk to you about Gropello Cairoli, an Italian municipality located in the province of Pavia, in Lombardy. This town has around 4,236 inhabitants and is located in eastern Lomellina, near the alluvial valley of the Ticino River. One of the peculiarities of Gropello Cairoli is its location along the former State Road 596 of the Cairoli family, commonly known as "dei Cairoli," which leads to Pavia and has become famous thanks to the presence of the motorway exit on the A7 motorway. The town developed around this road, becoming an example of a "strassendorf," that is, a medieval village that developed along a road.
Main attractions: churches and bypass
Gropello Cairoli is a highly appreciated tourist destination for its two churches: San Rocco and the parish church dedicated to San Giorgio, which delimit the main street of the town from east to west. In the latter, it is possible to admire numerous artistic canons and a precious dome. In 2000, the bypass was inaugurated, diverting traffic from the city center.
History of Gropello Cairoli
The history of Gropello Cairoli dates back to the 9th century when it was known as "Graupellum" or "Ripelium". It was a fiscal "curtis" that King Berengar I granted Folcuino, known as Vasingone. In the following century, it was owned by Bernardo and Rolinda, who donated it to the canon of the SS. Trinità di Pavia. Subsequently, Gropello Cairoli passed under the lordship of the Beccaria, who invested it in 1437 with Pietro Visconti, members of a secondary branch of the famous family. The latter maintained the fief divided into several branches, and it also included Zerbolò and Carbonara al Ticino, and was inherited by the Lonati Visconti, who then passed by marriage to Count Lorenzo Taverna. After the end of feudalism, the Taverna remained owners of the castle and a vast estate, sold in 1845 to the surgeon and university professor from Pavia, Carlo Cairoli, father of the five Cairoli brothers, who took the name of the heroes of the Italian Risorgimento, thus giving the current name to this Italian municipality.
Historical figures and places of cultural interest
Among the historical figures who lived in Gropello Cairoli, stands out the philosopher Carlo Cantoni, a close friend of Benedetto Cairoli, one of the five brothers active during the Italian Risorgimento. Cantoni was a scholar of Kant and a Senator of the Kingdom of Italy. Furthermore, he introduced the construction of the railway. Another cultural attraction is Cantoni's birthplace, intact in its splendor thanks to its preservation, now a guesthouse, while the frescoed rooms on the ground floor and the secular park are reserved for events and receptions.
In conclusion, Gropello Cairoli is an Italian municipality that encompasses the history and enchanting beauty of Lombardy, a place to visit if you are in Italy. I hope that this summary has helped you discover the essence of this wonderful place!
