Chiavenna (SO)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chiavenna

Country	Italy
Region	Lombardy
Province	Province of Sondrio (SO)
Mayor

Elevation	333 m
Area	11.1 km²
Population
- Total (as of Dec. 2004)	7,263
- Density	655/km²
Time zone	CET, UTC+1
Coordinates	46°19′N, 9°24′E
Gentilic	chiavennaschi
Dialing code	0343
Postal code	23022
Frazioni	Campedello, Loreto, Pianazzola, San Carlo


Location of Chiavenna in Italy
Website: www.comune.chiavenna.so.it/Home.jsp

Chiavenna (Latin: Clavenna; German: Cläven or Kleven) is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 100 km north of Milan and about 40 km northwest of Sondrio. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 7,263 and an area of 11.1 km².^[1]

The municipality of Chiavenna contains the frazioni (subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) Campedello, Loreto, Pianazzola, and San Carlo.

Chiavenna borders the following municipalities: Mese, Piuro, Prata Camportaccio, San Giacomo Filippo.

1 Situation and history
2 Demographic evolution
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Situation and history

Chiavenna, the Roman Clavenna, was a town of Rhaetia, on the Italian side of the Alps, about 16 km from the head of the Lacus Larius (modern Lake Como), at the foot of the Splügen Pass. The Itineraries demonstrate that the pass was frequented in ancient times; as well as another, which separated from it at Clavenna, and led by a more circuitous route over to Curia (modern Chur), where it rejoined the preceding road. (Itin. Ant. pp. 277, 278; Tab. Peut.; P. Diac. vi. 29.) It was by one or other of these passes that Stilicho crossed the Alps in midwinter, an exploit celebrated by Claudian (de B. Get. 320-358). Clavenna probably derived some importance from its position at the junction of these two passes: as does the modern town of Chiavenna, which is the capital of the surrounding district.