Osnago
Hello everyone! Let's discover Osnago, a town in the province of Lecco
Hello everyone! Today I'm taking you on a journey to discover Osnago, a town in the province of Lecco in Lombardy. With its 4829 inhabitants, the city is located in the Brianza region, in the Merate area, on the border between the high Padan plain and the Briantea hills.
Physical geography: a basin between the moraine plateau of Orane and the Dosso hill
The territory of Osnago extends in a basin between the moraine plateau of Orane and the Dosso hill. The town is crossed by the Molgora river, a tributary of the Curone river. 41% of its surface is protected by the Montevecchia and Valle di Curone Regional Park, an important green lung for the area.
Origins of the name: "place of ash trees"
Although in the past it was thought that the name "Osnago" derived from the Latin expression "os lacus" ("mouth of the lake"), the most accredited theory today is that the toponym has Celtic origins and means "place of ash trees". In the 10th century, in fact, the toponym was attested as "Osonacum".
History: from prehistoric traces to industrial development
The first evidence of human presence in the territory of Osnago dates back to prehistoric times, as demonstrated by archaeological finds and flint deposits. During the Roman Civilization, the town was crossed by the "via Spluga", which connected Milan with Lindau through the Spluga Pass.
Despite this, Osnago remained for many centuries a small agricultural center, but in the 19th century the situation changed with the arrival of the Galimberti textile industry, which allowed the industrial and urban development of the area.
In the past, Osnago was also the scene of tragic events, such as the burning of numerous women accused of witchcraft by the Inquisition.
Symbols
The coat of arms of the town of Osnago was granted in 1982. It was derived from the ancient Stemmario of Marco Cremosano of the 17th century and represents a branch of lion torn on a red field and placed in a gold band.
Monuments and places of interest: patrician villas of remarkable architectural value
Osnago houses numerous patrician villas of great architectural value. Among them, the De' Capitani villa, which hosted the negotiations of the Pontida conspiracy, and the Arese villa, in which the poet Ugo Foscolo composed the ode "To the recovered friend" for the Countess Arese Lucini and where the writer Alessandro Manzoni later stayed during his studies in Merate.
The beauty of the landscape and the cultural heritage make Osnago a place chosen by nature and history lovers. I hope I have intrigued you enough for a visit to discover this little treasure of the Brianza!
