Villa Vicentina
Villa Vicentina: history and geography
Hello friends! Today I want to talk to you about Villa Vicentina, a hamlet of the municipality of Fiumicello Villa Vicentina, located in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. In the past, Villa Vicentina was an autonomous municipality, with several hamlets such as Capo di Sopra, Borgo Malborghetto, and Borgo Pacco. However, on February 1, 2018, it merged into the current entity.
The territory of Villa Vicentina was influenced by the proximity of Aquileia, a Roman colony founded in 181 BC, and the Via Gemina directed towards Emona. Later, it suffered the devastations of the Huns of Attila in 452 and the Hungarians in the 10th century.
The first testimonies of history
The first testimonies of the history of Villa Vicentina date back to 1174, when Pope Alexander III enfeoffed Borgo Pacco to Gionata, prelate of the canons of Saints Felice and Fortunato of Aquileia. The document states that twelve families were living there at the time. The first mention of Camarcio, the present-day Villa Vicentina, dates back to 1221; the toponym seems to allude to the nature of the "marshy" territory.
In the fifteenth century, the Patriarchy of Aquileia, under the domination of the Republic of Venice, was shaken by the incursions of the Turks. To defend the borders, in 1466 the Venetian family of Gorgo was sent to the area. Heading a group of settlers, they organized the construction of fortifications and the repopulation of the area. From this moment on, Camarcio took on the name of Villa Vicentina and was mentioned in documents starting from 1478.
The influences of the Holy Roman Empire and the county of Gorizia
After the League of Cambrai, Villa Vicentina became part of the county of Gorizia and in 1647 became part of the newly established county of Gradisca d'Isonzo, governed by the Eggenberg family until their extinction in 1717. Returning under the Habsburgs, in 1754 the county of Gradisca merged into the new Princely County of Gorizia and Gradisca.
The vicissitudes of Villa Vicentina during wars
During the vicissitudes related to wars, the conditions of the population, mostly peasants, did not improve. In 1807, Villa Vicentina was occupied by Napoleon Bonaparte and in 1815 recaptured by the Habsburgs, who incorporated it into the Kingdom of Illyria, later renamed the Austrian Littoral.
In 1817, the territory was hit by a terrible famine, earning it the title of the "year of hunger." The following year, the economy began a slow recovery thanks to the purchase of the summer residence of Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi, which also included a spinning mill, from the disgraced Gorgo family. When Elisa died in 1820, the estate was continued by her husband Felice Baciocchi and their children Federico Napoleone and Elisa Napoleona Baciocchi.
Conclusion
Here is a brief history of the hamlet of Villa Vicentina. If you have the opportunity to visit, I recommend discovering the beauty of this place rich in history and culture!
