San Nazario
Welcome to San Nazario
Hello everyone! Today I will talk about San Nazario, a small and peaceful Italian Municipality located in the province of Vicenza, in the municipality of Valbrenta.
The history of San Nazario
The area of San Nazario has had a strategic role since Roman times, when a fortress was built at Pian Castello to block any invasions from the north and to control the transit of soldiers and goods. The town takes its name from its church, dedicated to Saint Nazarius the martyr. Christianity is believed to have arrived here thanks to the work of Milanese evangelizers between the 5th and 6th centuries.
In 915, Berengar I donated the Brenta canal to the bishop of Padua, issuing an edict at the same time ordering the fortification of churches and strategic sites in response to the Magyar invasions. On this occasion, the ancient fortress of Pian Castello was probably also recovered.
The town depended for a long time on Solagna, both ecclesiastically and civilly. It only achieved its own autonomy in the 17th century, becoming a rural municipality.
During the Venetian era, San Nazario was a "villa" of the Venetian regimental list of Bassano, which controlled both sides of the Brenta.
Symbols of San Nazario
San Nazario's coat of arms was "argent, a mount of three peaks, vert, founded in the base, the first and third descendent from the flanks, the middle holding a banner, wavey in fess, gules, a pale argent, charged with a cross recercelee, of the third". The gonfalon was in blue cloth.
What to see in San Nazario
In San Nazario, you can admire several works of art and places of worship.
- The Parish Church of San Nazario: formerly a chapel of the Solagna parish, it became a parish church in 1612. The church preserves valuable works of art, including the altarpiece of the main altar, a 17th-century painting by the Bassano school (family), the fresco on the ceiling by Giovanni De Min ("Martyrdom of Saints Nazarius and Celsius", 1848), the wooden altar of the Madonna della Cintura (early 18th century), and the altarpiece of the Souls by Francesco Trivellini.
- The Sanctuary of the Madonna dell'Onda: a place of popular devotion for all the inhabitants of the Brenta canal, it preserves a fresco from 1547 with the Madonna della Salute among Saints Rocco and Sebastian.
Life in San Nazario
San Nazario is a small community with a primary school, where children can grow up in a peaceful and familiar environment. The demographic evolution shows that the population has remained stable in recent years.
Conclusions
In conclusion, I recommend visiting San Nazario if you want to immerse yourself in the beauty of the Venetian countryside and enjoy the tranquility of a small but welcoming community. The history and works of art present in this town will undoubtedly leave you with an indelible memory.
