Lagosanto
Lagosanto: the small town in the province of Ferrara
Lagosanto, also known as "Làgh" in the Laghese dialect, is a small town (4709 inhabitants) in the province of Ferrara, located in the Emilia-Romagna region. The territory extends in the eastern part of the Po Valley, corresponding to the Comacchio Valleys. Lagosanto is one of the lowest municipalities in Italy, being located at 0 m above sea level, while the lowest point in Italy is only 19 km away, in the municipality of Jolanda di Savoia.
The history of Lagosanto
The municipality was founded in 1013 from the concession of a territory to the Laghese community by the Abbey of Pomposa. In 2013, Lagosanto celebrated its thousand years of existence. Before the 1920s, Lagosanto was surrounded on three-quarters by the Pega, Ponti and Trebba Valleys. The valleys were linked to the life and history of Lagosanto, as evidenced by the monument to the fiocinino in Piazza Vittorio Veneto, symbol of the important Lagotta tradition linked to fishing, even illegally, in the Comacchio Valleys. From the 1930s onwards, Lagosanto transformed into an agricultural town, as in the lower Ferrara area, a vocation expressed in the local strawberry festival.
The rivalry between Lagosanto and Comacchio is well known in the area. Once part of the valleys between Lagosanto and Comacchio were lagotti, but the so-called "Giletti deed" signed between the French Napoleonic delegation and Comacchio sold all the valleys to the municipality of Comacchio, which therefore became their only rightful owner. After the fall of Napoleon I, in 1814, the Laghese community brought a case against Comacchio, accusing them of misappropriation and being treated with favoritism. The case lasted for more than 100 years and ended in 1927 with an arbitrary ruling in which Comacchio was given the right and Lagosanto was relegated to its current borders.
The society of Lagosanto
As of 2012, Lagosanto has 5013 inhabitants. In 2001, the Delta Hospital was inaugurated. It was the first health facility to obtain institutional accreditation in Emilia-Romagna for the standards verified and certified and is part of the IRCCS institutes. The facility serves the entire provincial territory linked to the Po Delta area.
The culture of Lagosanto
During the first weekend of August, the Antica Fiera d'Agosto (Ancient August Fair) takes place, a tradition that usually lasts from Friday to Tuesday. Despite being a small municipality, there are numerous cultural associations and institutions.
The administration of Lagosanto
The following table shows the administrations that have succeeded in the municipality of Lagosanto.
Lagosanto is a fascinating town with a long and significant history. The rivalry with Comacchio demonstrates how culture and history are still alive in people. The presence of the Delta Hospital makes it an important area from a health perspective, while the characteristic strawberry festival bears witness to the predominant agricultural vocation of the territory. The August fair represents a good opportunity to visit Lagosanto and discover its hidden treasures.
