San Zeno Naviglio
San Zeno Naviglio: a small town in the province of Brescia
Hello everyone! Today I want to talk to you about a small town in the province of Brescia, San Zeno Naviglio, also known as San Zé in the Brescia dialect. With its 4,735 inhabitants, this flat territory is located about six kilometers south of the city of Brescia, in the area of the high Po Valley.
Physical Geography
Most of the municipal territory is built up, but there are still some areas of agricultural land. In particular, in the southern area around the Aspes hamlet and in the east, near Borgosatollo, there is the San Zeno Naviglio canal, which is part of the complex of the Brescia canal. The presence of water and the importance of the river have always guided the history of this municipality.
History
San Zeno Naviglio has an ancient history that dates back to the Roman Empire, as evidenced by the findings of Roman inscriptions near the Pontevica farm. However, the first documented settlements date back to the 15th century, when this territory was mainly inhabited by fishermen. At that time, the area was called Tregonzo or Tregoncio and there was a chapel dedicated to Bishop San Zeno, the patron saint of fishermen. The village was delimited by the post road to Cremona and the confluence of some streams (Biocco and Volta) and the canal.
During the Venetian Republic, the area was organized into a municipality within the Mairano quadrant. But the history of this municipality was also marked by the Ferrara War of 1483, when the low Brescia plain was occupied by the Duchy of Milan army. Thus, San Zeno became, together with Flero and Borgosatollo, a bulwark of the defense of Brescia and was liberated by the Venetian army in 1512.
With the construction of the parish church dedicated to San Zenone at the end of the 16th century, the village was identified with the current name of San Zeno. During the brief stay of the Brescia Republic (1797), the municipality was part of the Eastern Heron Canton.
During the Napoleonic period, San Zeno lost its municipal autonomy and came under the direct administration of Brescia. It was only in 1814, with the arrival of the Austrians, that the municipality regained its autonomy and became part of the province of Brescia of Lombardy-Venetia. In the 19th century, San Zeno built a new bridge in the Sörèc area and a new cemetery for the people of the municipality.
In 1859, the municipality was annexed to the province of Brescia of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which later became the Kingdom of Italy in 1861. And here we come to the present day.
Conclusion
Considering the geographical position and the historical importance of this municipality, San Zeno Naviglio could be an interesting tourist destination to discover the province of Brescia and the city of Brescia with its artistic and cultural itineraries. I hope this summary has been helpful and that you can soon visit this small town in Brescia. See you soon!
