Porto Tolle
Porto Tolle: The Veneto Municipality Surrounded by Waters
Hello everyone! Today I’ll be talking to you about a unique municipality, the sixth most populous in the province of Rovigo: Porto Tolle, or rather, Porto Tołe in Venetian dialect.
Physical Geography
The town is located in the heart of the Po Delta and is completely surrounded by the waters of the Po and the Adriatic Sea, creating a unique and fascinating landscape. In addition, it is crossed by various branches of the Po, which have created three islands: the island of Cà Venier, the island of Donzella and the island of Polesine Camerini. Porto Tolle is the municipality at the extremities of Italian provinces and is the largest in the province of Rovigo and the second largest in Veneto after Venice. Incredible, isn't it?
History
The history of Porto Tolle is very interesting. The recent territory was in fact a gift to the Polesans from the Republic of Venice, which dominated the area. Between 1600 and 1604, the Venetians, concerned about the enormous amount of debris carried by the Po, which risked burying the lagoon, carried out the Taglio di Porto Viro in Taglio di Po, an impressive hydraulic work that diverted the river from Taglio di Po to the Goro basin with a canal of 12 miles. From here, some lands emerged that the Republic of Venice assigned to some Venetian patricians, including the Veniers, Tiepolos, Vendramins and Farsettis. In addition to taking care of the reclamation, they also built large manor houses used for their summer vacations and hunting trips.
After the Napoleonic Age (1796-1814), Porto Tolle passed under Austrian rule and remained so until 1866, when, along with the rest of Veneto, it became part of the Kingdom of Italy.
In 1849, on the night of August 10th, Angelo Brunetti, aka "Ciceruacchio", along with his two sons and five other patriots, was executed. The group had left Rome and, led by Giuseppe Garibaldi, was supposed to reach Venice, which was still resisting the Austrians. The group split up when Garibaldi had to face the death of Anita Garibaldi and stopped near Comacchio. Angelo Brunetti's men continued north, but were captured and then shot in Porto Tolle. The main square of the municipality is now dedicated to Ciceruacchio.
Symbols
The coat of arms of Porto Tolle was granted by presidential decree on March 9, 1982. The main resources of the territory are represented in the coat of arms: rice paddies and fishing valleys.
Society
The population of Porto Tolle is approximately 9,062 inhabitants. Over the years, the economy of the municipality has been mainly tied to fishing and valley farming.
Demographic Evolution
Economy
The lagoons and fishing valleys have favored the development of a predominant sector in the area: fishing. Particularly important are mollusk farming with its "water gardens" and the oldest valley farming activity.
In short, Porto Tolle is a unique municipality, with a unique landscape, that encompasses a fascinating history. If you have the opportunity, don't miss the chance to visit it!
