Pontirolo Nuovo
A bit of history about Pontirolo Nuovo
Hello everyone, today I want to talk to you about Pontirolo Nuovo, an Italian municipality in the province of Bergamo, Lombardy. The town has about 4908 inhabitants and is located in the middle of the Bergamo plain, about 17 kilometers southwest of Bergamo, at an average altitude of 155 meters above sea level. The name of the town derives from the Latin term ''Pons Aureoli'', the Aureolo Bridge. The memory of the battle fought near the aforementioned bridge was so vivid that, from then on, that place was called Ponte di Aureolo. Let's take a look at some history together.
The Roman name
The town of Pontirolo Nuovo was recognized as a municipality only in 1570. The adjective "new" served at the time to distinguish the village from Pontirolo Vecchio, which has now changed its name to Canonica d'Adda. The historical event from which the name Pons Aureoli originated was the confrontation between Emperor Gallienus and Manio Acilio Aureolo, appointed commander of the cavalry by Gallienus and then proclaimed emperor by his own soldiers, near this bridge in 268 AD. Gallienus managed to stop the rebellious general who had to take refuge in Milan. During the siege that followed, Gallienus was killed in a conspiracy in which his successor Claudius II Gothicus was allegedly not unrelated. Surrender to the new emperor did not save Aureolo's life, who was killed by the Praetorian Guard of the latter apparently to avenge his betrayal towards Gallienus.
The foundations of the Roman ''castrum''
Many clues lead us to believe that Pontirolo Nuovo arose on the foundations of a Roman ''castrum'', more specifically a military camp placed to defend the Aureolo Bridge. The Roman military ''castrum'' was originally made up of a quadrangular lot, divided into 4 portions: in the center the parade ground where the tents were arranged and later the housing of the soldiers or the buildings of public utility and worship. The remaining sectors were uniformly divided into squares occupied by courtyards, whose entrances were arranged on the axes of the road layout. The village of Pontirolo Nuovo still reflects this conformation: in the center the main square; the most important streets are those that form the square itself; the farmhouses, all with courtyards, aggregated together according to the typical system of Roman courtyards, have doors and entrances that conclude the streets of the village. Observing the map of Pontirolo we can see how the size of the roadways and the surface of the lots is mostly the same throughout the historic center.
The natural beauties of Pontirolo Nuovo
Pontirolo Nuovo is crossed by the Adda river, which offers it a natural scenario of great value. Precisely for this reason, the town is a destination for sports fishing enthusiasts, who here find one of the most beautiful and equipped places in the Lombardy region.
In recent years, moreover, cycling routes and hiking trails have multiplied, allowing you to admire the natural beauties that the area offers. In particular, the cycle path of the Adda river (on the Bergamo side) is one of the most famous in Lombardy, about 130 km long and connects Lake Como with the Adda river.
Culture and gastronomy
Pontirolo Nuovo is the site of numerous cultural and gastronomic events throughout the year. In particular, the village festival takes place in honor of the patron saint Sant'Antonio and falls on June 13th.
Among the typical products of the area are the bread of Pontirolo, obtained using ground corn, and the sausage of the town, which is produced without the addition of preservatives or artificial colors. Furthermore, here you can also taste typical Bergamo dishes, such as casoncelli (stuffed pasta), polenta and brasati.
Conclusions
In conclusion, Pontirolo Nuovo is a little gem of Lombardy, which offers great natural beauty and an ancient history that fascinates visitors. If you happen to be in Bergamo, it is worth taking a little detour to discover this town and to taste the typical products of the area. I hope I have intrigued you and made you want to visit Pontirolo Nuovo!
