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HISTORY,
CULTURE, AND FOLKLORE IN THE MUNICIPALITY
OF SOMMACAMPAGNA
Province
of Verona
Inhabitants:
13.150
Area:
40,96 square kilometres
Altitude
above sea level: 121 metres
Patron
Saint Festival: Saint Andrew
Distance
from Verona: 15 km
Catullo
airport: ca. 5 km
Motorway
exit: Sommacampagna A4
The
Municipality of Sommacampagna is in the
far north of Verona countryside, at the
back of Lake Garda morainic hills. Its
name derives from the original Latin name
Summa campania ( highland
countryside). Besides the main centre Sommacampagna includes the
districts of Custoza (Custodia)
and Caselle (Caselle d’Erbe).
Archaeological
finds dating back to the
stone age, pile-dwelling stands, and Roman
remains have been found in the area
called Palù, near Sommacampagna (in Latin
Summa Campania ). The most important
of them can still be seen by the parish
church of Saint Andrew by the
graveyard, and by Saint Peter’s church , the
same places where there used to stand
pagan temples. In the middle Ages, the
historical centre was around Saint Andrew’s
church and later it expanded towards
Verona up to the place where now stands
the little San Rocco’s church with
its bell tower. The most
important historical events to be
remembered are the
battles that took place at Custoza in
1848 during the first war of independence
and in 1866 during the third
war of independence on the nearby morainic
hills. Attila
is also said to have come this way,
but after meeting Pope Leo at Solionze,
he led back his Huns; at least,
that is what the legend says. Saint Francis too visited the
small church of the
Modonna del Monte ( Our Lady of the Mount )
and the church later was turned
into a Franciscan convent.
The
village is located around the morainic
hills around Lake Garda, that is not
very
far from it. The
landscape was shaped during the latest
great glacial era, when the Quaternary
period started. The
fact that Lake Garda is so close makes
the climate mild, which favours a large
production of luscious fruit, above
all peaches and wines; in fact, we have
three DOC wineries : the Bianco di Custoza, Bardolino, and Garda; DOC= wines
with exclusive and protected
denomination.
The
area enjoys a number of very important
facilities: The Serenissima and Brennero
motorways, Quadrante
Europa, the Catullo airport,
and the new Verona hypermarket.
The
local Carnival mask-character id Messer
Gidino
The
most interesting monuments to visit are
the Custoza Graveyard, Sant’Andrea’s parish
church Villa
Venier and the “Casa del Tamburino
Sardo”.
The
most important events:
- San
Luigi Festival that takes place at
Caselle di Sommacampagna on the first week-end
of August;
- The
Festa della Madonna: in August at the
Shrine of Madonna del Monte and at Villa
Venier
- The
ancient Sommacampagna yearly Fair, the
local product exhibition and sale, the
pomological exhibition, sale and
exhibition of machinery for the agriculture,
sale of organic products, fun
fair, cycling
competitions, dancing and cooking
competitions and final fire works show:
all this on the Monday following the
last Sunday in August;
- The
“Vino Bianco di Custoza Festival on the
2nd weekend in September, which includes
a competition for the best
producer of the Vino Bianco di Custoza;
- Festival
for the best “Custoza broccoli
producer”; the festival for this typical
local vegetable takes place in the first
week of January.
- Twinship:
 with Hall in Tirol.
DISCOVERY ITINERARIES:
Cammina
Custoza is an eight km long
itinerary in the hilly area north west of
Custoza;
it streches well into the typical
natural environment of the morainic
amphitheatre,
a place where hills and
valleys were formed with the accretion of
erosion
material pushed by the Garda glacier and
later shaped
by the elements.
Different
ecosystems combine harmoniously with one
another both on farmed
land,
wilderness
and woods. The endemic flora is
very rich and the fauna must be
watched
with care and in silence, so as not
to disturb the natural peace and
harmony.
The presence of man in the area
dates back to old times; in fact, coins
of the
IV century B.C. have been found
there along with pieces of a likely Roman
headstone.
The
Tamburino Sardo is an easy pathway
track stretching for about 3 km, half on
level
and half on sloping ground along the
Monte Croce ridge (150 m above sea
level).
This itinerary through the
countryside allows you to admire a landscape
featuring
vast vineyards, bower shaped
ones, with interesting aspects of an area
that
still echoes the din of the historical
battles for independence and unity
of
Italy that made this land famous.
Custoza:
The great
graveyard
La
Valpolicella
A place
where to start wine sampling and
gastronomic itineraries in
an area
that is
famous for its typical local products.
Soave
The
Castle and the most sought after wine
in the world
La
Lessinia-Erbezzo
The
great Verona mountains, summer alpine
pasture for cattle, the typical “Monte
Veronese”
cheese .
Monte
Baldo
That
plunges into Lake Garda
The
Large towns near us
Mantua,
Padua and Venice
Sirmione Baths – Sirmione (BS)
Via
Vittorio Alfieri ,
1000
Tel.
030-9904923, 030-9904922
Gardaland,
Castelnuovo
del Garda (VR) Italy
Tel. +39
045-6449777
Fax: +39
045-6401267
Parco
Acquatico (Acqua
Park) “Cavour”
Ariano
district –
VALEGGIO sul MINCIO, (VR) Italy
Tel. + 39
0457950904
Fax: +39
045- 6370618
Parco
Acquatico Centro
Sportivo Picoverde
Via Ossario
19
37060
Custoza (VR) Italy
Parco
Natura Viva – Garda
Zoological Park
40 Figara
District
37012
BUSSOLENGO (VR)
Italy
Tel.
+39+045-7170113
Fax: +39
045 6770247
Parco
Termale del Garda
Piazza di
Sopra 4,
37010
Colà di Lazise (VR)
Italy
Tel. +39
045- 7590988
Fax: +39
045 6490382
Verona
Verona
Arena, on Bra
Square
Catel
Vecchio (The old Castle)
Romeo and
Juliet Balcony
Piazza
delle Erbe (Herbs
Square)
Arche
Scaligere and
Piazza della Signoria
Piazza Dante
Porta Leone
(with Roman
excavations) and Porta Corsari
Roman
Theatre
Ponte
Pietra
The
famous churches of Verona: The
Cathedral, San Zeno Saint Anastasia, San
Fermo
Garda
Garda
is a little jewel, a show case, of Verona
province: to the north we find
the
enchanting point San Virgilio, to the
south the Rocca hill, wherefrom one
can
enjoy a wonderful view. On the
Rocca there is an hermitage of the
Camaldolite
monks. Garda has become a well
known holiday resort; its historical
centre
used to be a fishermen’s village, now it is full of shops, hotels and
restaurants.
Some people still go fishing.
The most important events in Garda
are
still related to the fisherman’s life:
the Palio delle Contrade is a rowing
boat
competition that takes place in
mid-August, whereas the Sardellata al Pal
del Vo’
is a big dinner that takes place in
July on the boats in the middle of
the
lake, under the moonshine.
Peschiera
del Garda
Peschiera
del Garda is a
magic place : its centre has a splendid and varied
waterfront
whereto all the village streets
lead and has more squares; one of
these
used to be a parade-ground and on its
side there is the Saint Martin the
Bishop’s
church, the Shrine of the Madonna
del Frassino is very interesting both
for its
history and works of art; it stands on
the place where, in the XVI
century, a
peasant, Bartolomeo Broglia, saw the
image of the Virgin Mary and Child in the
shape of a little statue among the
branches of an ash-tree (then used to
support
the vines), while he was working in
his vineyard and being threatened by
a
snake.
Valeggio sul
Mincio
On the
background of Valegggio sul Mincio
landscape stands the impressive size
of
Monte Baldo with its steep slopes and
rocky ridges, overlooking the large
Verona
plains and the vast hilly area forming the marainic Garda
amphitheatre.
Being
separated from the other mountains,
stretching out to the plains and
overhanging
the lake, this
mountain enjoys a huge view ranging
from the Dolomites to the Apennine mountain
range. At
Valeggio, visiting Borghetto is a must:
this ancient village by the river Mincio
still retains in its alleys the
fragrance and the atmosphere of times gone by.
Lazise
Lazise
Castle is said to have been built by
the Scaligeri family in the mid-XIV
century,
but the earlier structure of this
castle was built before the year
1000
The access gates of this walled town
are the Porta Superiore, the Porta
Lion,
that has been renamed Porta
meridionale, and Porta nuova , that is
known
as Porta
Cansignorio today. By the port you can
see the Saint Nicolò church,
that is
the guardian Saint of the waters and
of the
sailors; This church was
built
in romanesque style during the XII
century and keeps important frescoes of
Verona
painters dating back to 1300. From
its recently restructured pier boats
link
the many Garda villages daily.
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