San Pietro Intrigogna
Discovering Casale and San Pietro Intrigogna: a small oasis of nature in the Municipality of Vicenza
The area of Casale and San Pietro Intrigogna is located in the southern part of the Municipality of Vicenza, in Italy. It also includes other small inhabited nuclei such as Casaletto and Ca' Perse. During the Middle Ages and modern age, this area was part of the "cultivation of Camisano".
Geography
The road of Casale is 5,250 meters long and runs along the Bacchiglione river on the left bank until the height of the Pelosa road. From here, it continues for about 800 meters as the road of San Pietro Intrigogna until it reaches the homonymous hamlet. Near the road of Casale, there is also that of Ca' Perse, along which there is the WWF Oasis.
Meaning of the toponyms
The toponym "Casale" derives from a group of houses in the countryside or even from an isolated country farm. The name of the road "Pelosa", instead, could derive from the fact that the grass grew abundantly, being little frequented or from the name of a Peloso family that once lived in this area. The road of "Ca' Perse" takes its name from the few scattered houses in the countryside.
The toponym "San Pietro" refers to the fact that this territory was subject to the Church and the monastery of San Pietro in Vicenza. The name "Intrigogna", on the other hand, has an uncertain origin, as it has been mentioned in ancient documents with different meanings. According to Fedele Lampertico, the most probable interpretation is that it derives from the Latin ''intra trigonium'', that is "inside the triangle" of that land delimited by the confluence of the Bacchiglione and Tesina rivers.
The Oasis of the Casale ponds
The "Alberto Carta" Oasis is a set of ponds and wetlands that in the past were used for clay extraction. In 1998, the Municipality of Vicenza established the oasis on the initiative of WWF, which still manages it.
Over the years, WWF has promoted numerous interventions to preserve and enhance the oasis, including the creation of structures for visitors, the renaturalization of some vertical banks, the establishment of an area reforested with characteristic species of the plain forest of the Po Valley, and the creation of new ponds for amphibians.
The Oasis is very important both for the typical marsh vegetation and for the fauna, including invertebrates, amphibians, birds, and mammals. Moreover, some animals present in the oasis are at risk of extinction and protected by European regulations.
The Oasis also represents a center for environmental education where educational workshops are organized for schools and visitors. During the summer, a summer camp is also activated. At the oasis visitors' center, environmental themed courses, conferences, and exhibitions are organized.
Conclusions
The area of Casale and San Pietro Intrigogna is a very suggestive area that deserves to be visited. The Oasis of the Casale ponds is an important natural and cultural resource for the city of Vicenza and represents a unique opportunity to discover the flora and fauna of the area. Don't hesitate to take a tour of this nature oasis and discover all the treasures it holds!
