Sellero

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Comune di Sellero
Sellero's panorama
Sellero's panorama
Coat of arms of Comune di Sellero
Municipal coat of arms
Country Flag of Italy Italy
Region Lombardy
Province Brescia (BS)
Mayor Ezio Bartolomeo Laini (since June 14, 2004)
Elevation 376 m (1,234 ft)
Area 13.9 km² (5 sq mi)
Population (as of 2001)
 - Total 1,475
 - Density 106/km² (275/sq mi)
Time zone CET, UTC+1
Coordinates 46°3′21″N, 10°20′52″E
Gentilic Selleresi
Dialing code 0364
Postal code 25050
Frazioni Novelle
Patron Santa Maria Assunta and San Desiderio
 - Day August 15 and May 15
Website: www.comune.sellero.bs.it

Sellero (Sèler in lombard, Hèler in camunian dialect) is a commune of 1.503 people in the province of Brescia (far 83 km from Brescia) in the middle Val Camonica.

In his territory there are thousands of rock engravings, including the "Rosa camuna" in Carpene (which is the symbol of Lombardy region). In the commune's territory there are also examples of energy excellence, such as the San Fiorano's underground hydroelectric power (in Scianica) and a biomass tele-heating power.

The commune consisting of the inhabited of Sellero (the most important of the commune) and the frazione of Novelle. Even though it isn't a frazione, is important the Scianica, situated in the valley floor and developed in 70/80 years of last century.

Contents

[edit] Geography

The commune is situated in the middle Val Camonica, in the province of Brescia.

Close between the near communes (Berzo Demo, Capo di Ponte, Cedegolo and Paisco Loveno), it saw to reduce his territorial extension after the second world war, when gave a lot of his ground, especially mountainous or wooded, at the another communes in the zone (for example the homonym mountain is in the province of Sondrio).

In his territory flows the Oglio river, the fifth Italian river, and and his affluent, the Re torrent.

The highest mountain is Elto mountain, which is 2,145 metres high.

[edit] History

There are traces of a Camunic village (the rock engraving of "rosa camuna", which is the symbol of Lombardy). But these traces disappear after the Roman conquest (AD 16).

For some studies there was a repopulation during the Middle Ages (there is the church' dedication at Saint Desiderio, which is a Frankish dedication and the name of village in some medieval documents) interrupted by plague in XIV century.

Recently, from 1927 to 1948 the commune joined with Cedegolo, a neighbouring commune.

[edit] Population trends, 1861–2001

Sellero with its church and townhall (Italian Municipio)
Sellero with its church and townhall (Italian Municipio)
Sellero's land in Valle Camonica
Sellero's land in Valle Camonica
Year Population
1861 795
1871 833
1881 907
1901 902
1911 1.054
1921 1.125
1931 1.202
1936 1.206
1951 1.481
1961 1.548
1971 1.559
1981 1.561
1991 1.508
2001 1.475

Source: ISTAT

[edit] Interesting places

Sellero's church.
Sellero's church.

The two churches of the town, the parish church (Saint Mary) and the ancient church (Saint Desiderio) present some interesting artistic works.

The parish church, finished in 1785, presents an interesting altar in Sicily's and Verona's marble and a portal in Vezza d'Oglio's marble. Also the ancient church, erected by Frankish, can be visited and presents some Pietro di Cemmo's frescos.

Near the frazione of Novelle there are the Carona's mines, which can be visited with equipment for speleology.

[edit] Economy

Sellero, from 1950 to 1980, was an important industrial town in Valle Camonica, thank to the Scianica's little plain.

The first activity started in 1907 when the Curletti company began the utilization of Carona's mine for the sulphur's mining, and finished in 1951.

With the mines' utilization some people founded the SEFE (Società Esercizio Forni Elettrici, in English Society for the management of electric furnaces) which built three furnaces for the calcium carbide's production.

Now the first activity is an iron factory, Riva Acciaio (Riva Iron).

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