Traona
Welcome to Traona!
Hello everyone! Today I will talk to you about Traona, a town of 2816 inhabitants in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy. This quaint little town is located on the right bank of the Adda river, nestled in the Rhaetian Alps along the Cech Coast.
Discovering the physical geography
If you love nature, the scenery of Traona is definitely a destination to visit. The town is situated on the slopes of the Rhaetian Alps, close to the Adda river with a view over the valley known as the Cech Coast. In the town, the Vallone stream flows and various smaller and irregular watercourses. The average altitude of Traona is 252 m above sea level, with a variation from 206m to 2,281m.
Origin of the name
But where does the name Traona come from? Various hypotheses have been put forward, but the most accredited one is given by the Swiss historian Giovanni Guler von Weineck, who traces the origin of the toponym to the expression "terra bona," meaning a particularly fertile land with a healthy climate.
The history of Traona
Traona is one of the "noble" cities of Valtellina, thanks to its historical importance in the lower Valtellina and for its role as a center for almost thousand years. The town is first mentioned in 829 and, subsequently, in an act of sale of forests, fields and vineyards dating back to 1020. The geographical location of Traona on the Valeriana road, the historical transit route of Valtellina, near the Ganda bridge, positioned the town in a strategic role in transit and trade in the lower valley. In the Middle Ages, Traona was also linked to the presence of the powerful Vicedomini family. They chose Traona, where they owned the castle of Domofole and exercised the right of a hundred on the logs conveyed in the Adda and on the livestock from and to the Val Masino.
The Vicedomini family was also the promoter of the "Communitas montanae Domopholi," which collected the villages of the entire Cech Coast, but which did not have historical success. After the fall of the power of the Vicedomini family at the beginning of the fourteenth century, the "Communitas" disintegrated. In 1335, the Visconti, lords of Milan, conquered Valtellina and made Traona the capital of one of the two teams of the lower third. A podestà resided in Traona, and a customs house was placed there, moving the one that was previously located in Olonio.
Conclusions
In conclusion, Traona is a picturesque and historic destination in the lower Valtellina with a strategic position on the Valeriana road. The town was important during the Middle Ages thanks to the powerful Vicedomini family and played a significant role in the history of trade in the lower valley. If you are looking for a destination to appreciate nature and immerse yourself in history, Traona is definitely a town to visit.
