Rezzato

Rezzato is a comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy. It is bounded by the comunes of Brescia, Botticino, Castenedolo, Mazzano and Nuvolera. History Ancient era The most important place of Prehistory in Rezzato was Ca' dei Grii, a cave on the south side of Regogna Mountain. During some researches done from 1954 to 1968, were discovered some objects of the Neolithic period, the oldest of the area. Probably the cave was a refuge for some prehistoric men or for some families during the Second World War. It was destroyed in 1969 by an adjacent marble's pit. Modern era The origin of this town name is thought to be the medieval "Regadium", which meant "royal court", a term used to designate the area surrounding the city of Brescia. Benedictine monks contributed to the founding of Rezzato by draining the land and digging irrigation canals on the Valverde plain. In the 14th century, battles between Guelph and Ghibelline city-states led to domination over Milan and the nearby territory by the powerful Visconti family, backed by the emperor Henry VII. While the western part of Lombardy was taken over by the Sforza family in the 15th century, Brescia became part of Venetian Republic in 1429. Under Venice, local commerce and crafts prospered, and Rezzato became known for its marble. Stone cutting was the predominant business in Rezzato from the 15th to the early 20th centuries. The municipal territory took on its current dimensions in 1928, with the addition of Virle Treponti. Places PInAC, or Aldo Cibaldi International Gallery of Children's Art, opened officially more than thirty years ago. Today it holds 4500 works of art in the new facility in via Disciplina. The building is both a gallery and an open educational center, with training course and experimental didactic activities. Drawings by children are still being collected, studied and cataloged today. The gallery works with schools that are interested in promoting children's art and the child's view of the world. The gallery's collections are characterized by a multi-ethnic quality. Workshops for adults are organized with nationally and internationally known artists. Villa Avogadro-Fenaroli: this spectacular setting lies between the villages of Ponte and Canale was home to the noble Avogadros and Fenarolis from Brescia for four centuries. Its north wing dates to the 16th century as well as the balcony overlooking today's Scalabrini Street. A 16th-century's lodge lies under cedars of Lebanon near the gardens' boundaries. Gothic greenhouses were built in 1840, while gardens were rearranged in 1863. The villa is since 2006 a Palace Hotel. Bacchus' Temple: thieves deprived the temple closing scenic stairs behind Villa Fenaroliof its 18th century' pillars in 2001, leaving its dome and trabeation on the ground. The Municipality of Rezzato had it quickly repaired, recovering a symbol of the town's identity and history. Vantini's school: a reason for the success of brescian neoclassicism is certainly the use of the white Botticino's stone. However, very highly skilled carpenters and chisellers were necessary to a style leaning on perfection. This is how Rodolfo Vantini had the idea to set up a school in Rezzato to train these workers. The school opened in 1839 in the Town Hall. Now the school is in the south of the town in a modern building. Vantini was also one of the best architects in Brescia. He was born in 1792. Transport The A4 motorway (Turin - Milan - Venice - Trieste) passes south of the town. Route SS 11, the Padana Superiore road, and Route SS 45bis, the Gardesana Occidentale road, lead directly to Rezzato. The nearest train station to Rezzato is at Brescia, on the Milan-Venice railway line. The nearest airport is at Montichiari (8 km). Population Rezzato had a population of 13,485 inhabitants as of March 2012. Since the end of World War II, like others places in Lombardy, Rezzato has been host to two waves of mass migration: the first, workers from within Italy; the second, immigrants from outside the peninsula. These two migrations have corresponded with two different economic phases. The first migration coincided with the economic miracle of the 1950s and 1960s, a period of extraordinary growth based on classic industry and public works. The second immigration has taken place against the background of a vastly different economy, centered around services, small industry and post-industrial scenarios. The first migarion concerned Italians, from the countryside, the mountains and the cities and towns of the South, the East or the other provinces of Lombardy. Ethnic groups The main ethnic group in Rezzato is the Italian one, but there are also many other groups from Europe, Asia and Africa. Municipal Administration From 1945 to 1995 the municipal administration of Rezzato was composed of members of the historical Christian Democracy, with some members of the Italian Socialist Party (1970–1980 and 1985–1995) and the Italian Communist Party (1980–1985). Since 1995 (under the new electoral law, 1993) the mayor of Rezzato is directly elected by the population and the election occurs without ballot because the commune hasn't a population higher than 15.000 inhabitants. The City Council of Rezzato has 16 members (last election, May 2014). The mayor of Rezzato is Davide Giacomini (PD) since 26 May 2014. Sister cities Rezzato is twinned with: Bogoroditsk, Tula Oblast, Russia Gallery Sources