Retorbido
Retorbido: a municipality between hills and plain
Hello everyone! Today I want to talk to you about Retorbido, a municipality in the province of Pavia in Lombardy. With its 1529 inhabitants, this small town is located in the Oltrepò Pavese, not far from the Staffora valley and the plain. But despite its location, Retorbido is not only in the Po Valley, but also on the first hilly slopes. In short, a place where nature and history come together to create a suggestive scenario.
A brief history of Retorbido
The history of Retorbido dates back to 972 when the monastery of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro in Pavia obtained possession of it from King Liutprand. Later it belonged to the county of Tortona and subsequently to the domains of Pavia, becoming the seat of podesteria. The fiefdom of Retorbido then passed to the Beccaria di Robecco and the Dal Verme, and then detached from Voghera together with Fortunago and passed to the Riario. Finally, the fiefdom came to the Beccaria di Montebello della Battaglia, extinct in 1629. Since then, Retorbido became a domain of the Corti di Pavia until the abolition of feudalism. In 1818, the municipality of Murisasco was merged with that of Retorbido. Previously, in 1175, the municipality of Garlassolo had been annexed to Murisasco.
Monuments and places of interest
If you go to Retorbido, you cannot miss the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, built in the seventeenth century and expanded in 1859. A real historical gem that will leave you speechless!
Traditions and folklore
One of the best-known and beloved characters in Retorbido is Bertoldo, a shrewd farmer who is the protagonist of many popular anecdotes and a novel by Giulio Cesare Croce. It is said that Bertoldo was born in Retorbido, in the "Casa Bertuggia" hamlet. During the "Sagra del Polentone", which takes place every year on the second Sunday in March, a playful dialogue between Bertoldo and King Alboin on current politics is staged. To conclude the festival in style, everyone is then given free polenta and salamini.
Administration
Retorbido is no longer part of the mountain community.
Infrastructure and transport
Once, the Retorbido station was located along the Voghera-Varzi railway, active between 1931 and 1966.
So, are you interested in discovering this beautiful municipality in the province of Pavia? You won't be disappointed, I assure you!
