Ostiglia

Ostiglia is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 160 km (99 mi) southeast of Milan and about 30 km (19 mi) southeast of Mantua. Ostiglia borders the following municipalities: Borgofranco sul Po, Casaleone, Cerea, Gazzo Veronese, Melara, Revere, Serravalle a Po. History In Roman times, Hostilia was a trade hub from Emilia to northern Europe, as it was located on the Via Claudia Augusta Padana. In the 1st century BC it was the birthplace of writer Cornelius Nepos. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was ruled by the Ostrogoths, the Byzantines and, from the 6th century, by the Lombards. Since 774 it was part of the Frankish Empire. In the Middle Ages it was a stronghold of Verona, which built here a castle in 1151. In 1308 it was a fief of the Scaliger, who were succeeded by the Visconti in 1381 and the Gonzaga in 1391. Ostiglia's history was subsequently connected with that of Mantua, losing its strategical importance; its castle was demolished by order of emperor Charles VI in 1717. Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, the largest publisher in Italy, was founded at Ostiglia in 1907. During World War II, it was liberated by the Anglo-British forces on 25 April 1945. References ^ All demographics and other statistics: Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (Istat). External links Official website