Fontaniva
Fontaniva: a town in the heart of the Po Valley
Fontaniva is an Italian town in the province of Padua, located about 30 km north of the Venetian capital. With a population of 7,907 inhabitants, the municipal territory of Fontaniva is located in the heart of the Po Valley, on the border between high and low plains, in the area of Risorgiva, and is crossed by the course of the Brenta River.
Physical geography
The town of Fontaniva derives its name probably from the great wealth of water in the area, which according to some derives from the Latin ''fontes ibi'' (there are fountains in this place) or ''fons viva'' (living fountain). The territory is rich in small agricultural settlements and hamlets, including the most important, San Giorgio in Brenta, founded in Lombard times and the seat of a branch of the Borromeo family.
History
The territory of Fontaniva dates back to Roman times, as evidenced by the archaeological remains of small agricultural settlements and bricks, tiles, and roof tiles found during plowing and preserved at the local historical agricultural museum. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the area suffered barbarian invasions and was settled by the Lombard people, from which originated one of the oldest and most powerful Paduan families, the Fontaniva, who gave their name to the town.
Fontaniva was the subject of the historical events that took place between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries and the numerous properties that saw the various components of the Ezzelini family as protagonists. Properties that were carefully ascertained, counted, and documented after their definitive defeat in 1260.
Society
The demographic evolution of Fontaniva has been constant over the years, from the 6,655 inhabitants in 1861 to the 7,590 in 1951 and the current 7,907. The town has a high percentage of elderly people, with a low number of young people, and is characterized by a strong family component, with a high number of family units composed of two people.
Culture
Among the cultural places of interest in the town of Fontaniva, there is the "Nuovo Palladio" or "Teatro Palladio": a structure that houses a cinema and a conference room, built in the 1960s as a parish cinema and restored in 2008. The theater is located in a central position in the town, becoming the reference point for cultural events in the town.
Fontaniva is a town of great historical wealth, with a strong family component and constant demographic evolution. Its position in the heart of the Po Valley makes it a place of great cultural and geographical importance.
