Valenzano
Welcome to Valenzano!
Hello everyone! Today I'm going to talk to you about Valenzano, a municipality in the metropolitan city of Bari in Puglia, Italy. Known primarily for its scientific research centers, this town has an ancient history and a multitude of meanings related to its name. Let's discover more together!
Origins of the name
So, the town is named Balentianum, Balenczanum or Balzano in the oldest documents. There are several theories about the origin of the name Valenzano: the first suggests that it derives from the Indo-European root "balt", meaning marsh or swamp, as there are three streams in the municipality. Another fairly credible theory holds that the name derives from the Latin term Valentianum, which means "property of Valens", a very common proper name in the Roman Empire. A more fantastic hypothesis by Bonaventura da Lama attributes the name of the town to its Greek founder, Valentiniano or Valenziano, and a final hypothesis derives the name from "vallis sana", which means "healthy valley".
History
Valenzano has a very ancient history, with traces of human presence dating back to the 4th century BC, from the population of Peuceti lineage. After the Samnite Wars, the Romans conquered the area, and the current territory of Valenzano was part of the vast estates around the city of Ceglia del Campo. The official foundation of the town, on the other hand, dates back to 845 AD, while the Saracens were approaching Bari, and according to Bonaventura da Lama's theory, the town was founded by a nobleman from Bari of Byzantine origin who had sought refuge near a rural church, probably the one that would later be replaced by the church of Santa Maria di San Luca.
Middle Ages and modern age
During the Middle Ages, the feudal lords of Valenzano changed frequently, and the town hosted over time various religious orders, including the Templars, the Franciscans, and the Jesuits. Over the course of a century, then, the city developed culturally and architecturally, with the construction of the mother church, the clock tower, and the construction of the Baronial Palace, inhabited by the nobleman at the time.
From the 18th century to the present day
In the last three centuries, Valenzano has continued to expand, with the opening of schools, markets, and a theater, which has also led to the construction of new houses and further population growth. During World War II, the town suffered devastating bombings, but after the reconstruction it began to develop as a center of scientific research, hosting the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari, the Coastal Engineering Laboratory of the Polytechnic University of Bari, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Bari, and the Technopolis Science and Technology Park.
Conclusions
Therefore, it has been interesting to explore the history of Valenzano and the possible origins of its name. This town has a very important historical and cultural heritage, and its vital position in the center of the major urban centers of Puglia makes it a point of reference for scientific development in the region. If you are looking for a destination off the beaten tourist track, with many things to discover, Valenzano can be an interesting destination just a few kilometers from the city of Bari.
