Valeggio sul Mincio

Valeggio sul Mincio is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Verona in the Italian region Veneto, located about 120 kilometres (75 mi) west of Venice and about 25 kilometres (16 mi) southwest of Verona. It is crossed by the Mincio river. The economy is mostly based on agriculture, with some craftwork and industrial production. touristically, Valeggio had become renowned as one of the capitals of Tortellini. Valeggio sul Mincio borders the following municipalities: Castelnuovo del Garda, Marmirolo, Monzambano, Mozzecane, Peschiera del Garda, Ponti sul Mincio, Roverbella, Sommacampagna, Sona, Villafranca di Verona, and Volta Mantovana. History Archaeological excavations in the Mincio valley include a Bronze Age settlements, some tombs dating to the Iron Age and some findings associated with the Etruscan civilization. A large Celtic necropolis, found in 1984 still partly buried under the current town, would prove the presence of that people from the 4th century AC and the 1st century DC. The creation of the villages of Valeggio and Borghetto dates to the Lombard rule in northern Italy. The monastery of Santa Maria was founded here, on the Mincio shore, was founded here in the 12th century; later it was a priory of the Knights Templar. The large medieval fortifications which characterize Valeggio (Scaliger castle, the Visconti Bridge and the Serraglio difensive line) were built between the 13th and the 14th centuries. In 1405 Valeggio became part of the Republic of Venice, and subsequently lost its strategic role, becoming an agricultural center and a silkworms trading market. After the fall of the Republic of Venice in 1797, Valeggio was included in the Cisalpine Republic. Later it was part of the Italian Republic (1802-1805) and, after some decades under the Austrian rule, of the newly unified Kingdom of Italy. Main sights Borghetto, a frazione with the Ponte Visconteo ("Visconti Bridge"), a fortified dam built in 1393 by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan. The bridge is 650 m long and 25 m wide. It was connected to the nearby Scaliger Castle by two tall merloned walls, and integrated in the fortified complex known as Serraglio which extended for c. 16 km in the Veronese plain up to Nogarole Rocca. Villa Maffei Sigurtà, built in 1690. Twin towns Ichenhausen, Germany St. Johann in Tirol, Austria References External links Official website [1] [2]