Suardi
The Story of Suardi: From Borgofranco to Suardi
Suardi, also known as Al Burg in Lombard dialect, is a town in the province of Pavia in Lombardy, with a population of 585. It is located in southern Lomellina, in the alluvial plain near the left bank of the Po River. The town has a long history dating back to the Middle Ages, which has been marked by numerous events.
In the past, the municipality of Suardi was called Borgofranco and was founded between 1192 and 1205 as Borgo Franco, on the initiative of the city of Pavia. The creation of this hamlet aimed to control a strategic ford of the Po and counter the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Pavia over the important center of Bassignana. Borgofranco was built according to a predetermined plan: a large rectangle, with orthogonal streets, surrounded by a moat, of almost city-like dimensions. However, Borgofranco was repeatedly threatened and devastated by the waters of the Po, so much so that it was rebuilt several times and definitively abandoned in 1808.
The town was then rebuilt around the ancient monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie, not far from the fraction of Santa Maria di "Suardi" (named after the Suardi family who owned the area), from which the municipality derived its new name. The toponym "Suardi" derives from the name of an ancient "warrior" population: the Swardesi, i.e. "swordbearers". The "w", pronounced as "vu", was later transformed into "u" for assonance, hence the name of the family, and currently of the municipality and its inhabitants: "suardesi".
Symbols and Coat of Arms
The coat of arms and the gonfalon of the municipality were granted by decree of the President of the Republic on May 28, 2010. The gonfalon is a banner divided in white and red.
Demographic Evolution
Suardi has had a long and varied demographic history. In the eighteenth century, it was a large center and the municipality of Pavia followed its fortunes. In 1806, the suppressed municipalities of San Martino La Mandria and Abbazia di Acqualunga were temporarily merged with Borgofranco, but were later respectively aggregated to Gambarana and Frascarolo. Currently, Suardi has a population of 585.
Sport and Football Team
The football team of Suardi has a particular history: it is playing for the first time in Eccellenza Lombardia, the height of its history. Its path has been difficult, but in 2004, the reborn U.S.D. Suardese was founded and the team started playing in group A of Terza Categoria Pavia. In 2006-2007, the team finished first in group A of Terza Categoria Pavia and earned promotion to Seconda Categoria. In 2007-2008, the team became first in group V of Seconda Categoria.
In conclusion, Suardi is a municipality with important historical roots, which has evolved over the centuries to become the town we know today. Its coat of arms and gonfalon perfectly represent the identity of this city, just as the football team reflects the passion that the suardesi have for sport.
