Trofarello
Welcome to Trofarello: a brief history of the Piedmontese Municipality
Trofarello is a municipality in the metropolitan city of Turin in Piedmont, with a population of about 11,000 inhabitants. Predominantly agricultural, the territory of Trofarello is crossed by the Turin-Genoa railway, which is an important route for transporting goods.
But where does the name Trofarello come from? According to the collection "Historical Memories", the name may derive from the Celtic language, with the intention of indicating the fertility and joyfulness of the land. A second hypothesis suggests that it derives from a trophy raised to some victorious leader or even from the first Lombard garrisons who were entrusted by Charlemagne to govern the surrounding territory.
The history of Trofarello
The territory of Trofarello has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Local tribes overlapped with populations of Ligurian origin and, subsequently, Celtic populations. Bronze fibulae dating back to the 3rd century BC have been found, which testified to the penetration of the Celts in the area.
Roman presence developed from the 2nd century BC and Roman foundations and bricks have been discovered. In the territory of Trofarello, pieces of capitals and columns have also been discovered near the locality of Madonna di Celle. During the 4th and 5th centuries, Piedmont was traversed by troops composed largely of Germanic formations, such as the Huns, Goths, and Vandals.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Trofarello was held by the Guaggoni or Vangioni family as a fief, as provided for by the administrative division introduced by the Lombards. In 1228, Frederick II of Swabia donated the County of Celle to the Lords of Revigliasco and Trofarello to the Vagnone.
During the following period, the village of Trofarello had a function as a defended, stopping and supplying place along the communication route between Genoa and France. The area then closely followed all the historical events that involved the cities of Chieri and Testona.
In 1848, the Turin-Trofarello railway line constituted the first section of the Turin-Genoa line, and for several months, Trofarello was the terminus of the only train in the Kingdom of Sardinia, until the extension to Asti the following year. The completion of the entire line to Genoa took place in 1853.
Conclusions
The history of Trofarello is very ancient and its name may derive from Celtic languages. Trofarello was traversed by Roman troops and Germanic peoples and maintained an important function along the communication route between Genoa and France. Today, Trofarello is a predominantly agricultural municipality, crossed by the Turin-Genoa railway, which constitutes one of the most important routes for transporting goods in the area. If you visit Piedmont, do not forget to make a stop in Trofarello to admire its history and the beauty of its territory.
