Pedrengo
Pedrengo: discovering its history
Welcome to Pedrengo, a town in the province of Bergamo with a population of about 5800 people, located only 6 kilometers from the famous city of Bergamo. The history of the town goes back to the Roman times, thanks to the presence of a military road connecting Pedrengo to Gorle, passing through the Maurizio bridge over the Serio river. In the Middle Ages, the town was at the center of fierce disputes between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines, but after the peace of Cremona in 1440, Pedrengo enjoyed a period of peace and tranquility under the rule of the Serenissima Republic of Venice.
During the Venetian rule, important irrigation works were carried out to support the local agriculture, including the Borgogna and Pedrenga canals, which still function today. From that moment on, there were no significant events in the town, which closely followed the political events of the province of Bergamo. However, there is an interesting story worth telling: the one about the town's oratory.
Don Rodrigo and his jester
In 1709, during the period of greatest ecclesiastical influence, the priest Don Rodrigo decided to give free access to the town's oratory. The people of Pedrengo appreciated this decision very much, and to celebrate it, they organized a big party, attended also by the priest's jester, named Steven. The latter, unleashing his antics and improvisations, made the audience laugh a lot, so much so that from that moment on, the oratory was nicknamed "the oratory of Don and Stevè".
The symbols of Pedrengo
Pedrengo has a coat of arms and a banner that identify it as an autonomous town. The coat of arms is divided into three parts: in the first, at the top, on a blue background, three bees are depicted, symbolizing the diligence and hard work of the population; the central band, silver with six blue waves, represents the Serio river that flows west of the town; in the third part, at the bottom, on a red background, there is the church of the Dead, called Madonna del Buon Consiglio, built to remember the victims of the seventeenth century plague.
The banner, on the other hand, is a rectangular cloth with three fringed silver bands, truncated into two parts. The upper part is red with the inscription "Comune di Pedrengo" in silver, while the lower part is blue. In the center of the cloth is the town's coat of arms. The banner is supported by a pole ending with an arrow-shaped tip, and a three-colored ribbon representing the Italian flag is placed on the pole.
Conclusions
Pedrengo is a small town in the province of Bergamo with a fascinating history full of curiosities. From the times of ancient Rome to the present day, the town has played a role in important historical events, which have helped to shape its identity and legal personality. With its coat of arms and its banner, Pedrengo presents itself to the world as a solid and united community that knows how to value its roots and traditions. If you want to learn more about the history of the town, we recommend taking a walk through its streets, admiring the ancient buildings and sculptures that adorn the squares. You won't regret it!
