Lonno
Discovering Lonno: Its location and history
Hello everyone, today I want to talk to you about a small hamlet of the municipality of Nembro, in the province of Bergamo, called Lonno or Lòn in the Bergamo dialect. Lonno is located on a natural saddle between Pizzo di Lonno and Monte Valtrusa, at an altitude of 702 meters above sea level. From here, you have a breathtaking view of the Bergamo plain. This village overlooks the small Luio Valley, which in its final part serves as the administrative border between Nembro and Alzano Lombardo.
Road network and trails
The road network in Lonno is very simple and consists of only two access roads: one from Nembro and the other from Alzano Lombardo. However, this latter road is usually closed to traffic, only opening for exceptional cases. There are numerous trails, mule tracks, and private roads that connect Lonno with nearby locations, such as Monte di Nese, Alzano Sopra, and Brumano (hamlets of Alzano), Salmezza, and Viana (Nembro). However, the most important one touches the sanctuary of Zuccarello and offers users a fitness trail.
The history of Lonno and its population
The history of Lonno has very ancient origins. The first settlements probably date back to the Roman era. In fact, the toponym of late Latin origin, "Launus," derives from the name of a Roman noble family that owned property in this area. However, it was during the Middle Ages that the village began to develop and experience a period of prosperity, being at the center of commercial traffic. The Via Mercatorum passed through these places, used by merchants and travelers to reach the Brembana Valley.
The population of Lonno, historically composed of breeders, farmers, and workers in the silk spinning and stone extraction fields, was 250 inhabitants in 1575, growing to 320 in 1672. From the seventeenth century, the village began to undergo a strong emigration phenomenon, both seasonal and permanent. Already in 1736, the population had dropped to 203 units, fluctuating slightly in the following 150 years, until the period of demographic boom that also affected Lonno, raising the inhabitants to 514 in 1911. From that moment on, emigration began to have a negative impact again, bringing the residents to 454 in 1934.
Conclusions
In conclusion, if you are in the area of Bergamo, I recommend visiting Lonno. This small village will give you a breathtaking view of the Bergamo plain but also the opportunity to travel ancient trails and touch the Zuccarello sanctuary. Not to mention its ancient history and its population characterized by modest extraction and the strong phenomenon of emigration.
