Marcheno
Marcheno, a mountain municipality in Lombardy
Marcheno is a municipality in the province of Brescia, located in the middle Val Trompia in Lombardy. With a population of about 4178 inhabitants, this mountain municipality is characterized by the presence of the Mella river running through it. It is part of the Val Trompia Mountain Community and the Val Sabbia-Val Trompia Industrial District, which specializes in the production of metal products and the ancient arms industry.
To reach Marcheno, you can take the State Road 345 of the Three Valleys, which runs for about 50 kilometers from Brescia to Maniva. The municipality consists of several hamlets, including Brozzo and Cesovo, and various locations such as Aleno, Madonnina, Piazza, Parte, Rovedolo, Croce, Caregno, Marcheno Sopra, Prevesto, Renàt, Marsegne, Pianù, Clos, Cerreto, Lusine, Prade.
Places of interest in Marcheno
One of the most famous places of interest in Marcheno is the Sanctuary of Madonnina, located on the ancient Valerian road (now Via Madonnina), built in the first decade of the 1600s, while the ante-chapel dates back to the 1400s. In 2000, a large illuminated cross was installed on the east slope, just below Punta Carneda (984 m), to celebrate the Jubilee.
From the tourist resort of Caregno, a plateau located at 1000 m, several paths depart towards Mount Guglielmo, which, almost reaching the top, return to the municipality. Brozzo is also linked to Cesovo by a very accessible path that continues towards Caregno. Along the mountain road that connects Cesovo and Cimmo di Tavernole sul Mella, there is the locality of Perdone (''Perdù''), while in the eastern part of the municipality, the Vandeno valley (''Vandè'') branches off, crossed by the homonymous stream, which leads to Sonclino/Sant'Emiliano.
Origin of Marcheno
The territory of Marcheno was inhabited in ancient times. In 1975, archaeological finds were discovered in the Rocca area (Prevesto hamlet), on the left bank of the Mella river between the capital and Brozzo, dating back to the first Iron Age between the 8th and 7th centuries BC. The same settlements were also inhabited in Roman times. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Marcheno found itself under the jurisdiction of the Pieve of S. Giorgio di Inzino, from which it obtained autonomy towards the end of the 14th century.
In the 14th and 15th centuries, Aleno was the center of the municipality, as testified by an estimate of the Brescia territory's canvases in 1389 and a Malatesta code in 1418. Despite this, the downstream hamlet became fundamental both from an administrative (municipality) and religious (parish) point of view.
Conclusions
Marcheno is a mountain municipality in Lombardy with ancient history and a territory rich in traditions and natural beauties. The Brozzo and Cesovo hamlets, together with the locations of Aleno, Madonnina, Piazza, Parte, Rovedolo, Croce, Caregno, Marcheno Sopra, Prevesto, Renàt, Marsegne, Pianù, Clos, Cerreto, Lusine, Prade, offer numerous attractions for anyone who wants to discover them. The Sanctuary of Madonnina and the large cross of Punta Carneda are just two examples of what the municipality of Marcheno can offer to its visitors.
