Palazzolo sull'Oglio

Palazzolo sull'Oglio (also known as Palasöl in local language) is a city and comune in the Province of Brescia, in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated south of Lake Iseo, bordering the Province of Bergamo, and has a population of 20,208. It is the fifth largest city in the Province, after Brescia, Desenzano del Garda, Montichiari and Lumezzane. History The town was founded on the banks of the river Oglio. The first references to the name "Palazzolo" date to 830 AD. Palazzolo was a fundamental industrial centre of Italy at the end of the 19th century (Marzoli, Lanfranchi, Italcementi, Ferrari) and the city was known as the small Italian Manchester. On 24 August 1954, the town was celebrated as a city with a presidential decree. The Tower of the People, the symbol of the city, was built between 1813 and 1830 and today is the highest round tower in Italy, with its 85 meters and 7 meters of statue on top. The Roman bridge, in the city centre, is the oldest building of Palazzolo, dating back to the 4th century. Main sights The Tower of the People (Torre del Popolo). The Castle. The Roman Bridge. The Ancient Pieve (Antica Pieve). The Cathedral (Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta). The three Kupfer villas (Le ville Kupfer). Municipal administration The Mayor of Palazzolo is directly elected by the population, while the City Council has 16 members (last election, May 2012). The current Mayor of Palazzolo is Gabriele Zanni (Democratic Party) elected on 14 April 2012. Transport From Palazzolo it is very easy to get to the main cities and towns throughout Italy. The train station is not far from the centre and operates on the Lecco–Brescia railway. Milan and Venice can be reached by train changing in Bergamo or in Brescia. The A4 highway, the most important Italian route, has an exit called Palazzolo, that is actually in the north of the town. The nearest International Airport is Orio al Serio International Airport, just 15 minutes by car. Sports Founded in 1913, the soccer association for the town is Associazione Calcio Palazzolo (Palazzolo Soccer Association). They play in the local stadium, Stadio Comunale, which holds up to 4,500 people. Notable residents Durante Duranti, cardinal and bishop (16th century) Paolo Gorini, scientist Maurizio Belpietro, journalist and television presenter Luisa Corna, singer and TV presenter Irene Fargo, singer Matteo Pedrali, painter Inisero Cremaschi, writer and journalist References External links Official website