Peschiera del Garda

Peschiera del Garda
—  Comune  —
Comune di Peschiera del Garda
Peschiera del Garda
Location of Peschiera del Garda in Italy
Coordinates:
Country Italy
Region Veneto
Province Verona (VR)
Frazioni Peschiera, San Benedetto di Lugana, Broglie
Government
 • Mayor Umberto Chincarini
Area
 • Total 17.63 km2 (6.8 sq mi)
Elevation 68 m (223 ft)
Population (April 15, 2006)
 • Total 8,479
 • Density 480.9/km2 (1,245.6/sq mi)
Demonym Arilicensi
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 37019, 37010
Dialing code 045
Patron saint Saint Martin
Saint day November 11
Website Official website

Peschiera del Garda (Latin: Ardelica, Arilica and Ariolica), is a town and comune in the province of Verona, in Veneto, Italy. When Lombardy-Venetia was under Austrian rule, Peschiera was the northwest anchor of the four fortified towns constituting the so-called Quadrilatero. The fortress is on an island in the Mincio River at its outlet from Lake Garda.

Contents

History

Roman Ardelica was a town of Gallia Transpadana that occupied the site of the modern Peschiera del Garda, at the southeast angle of the Lacus Benacus (Lago di Garda), just where the Mincius (modern Mincio) issued from the lake. The name is found under the corrupted form Ariolica in the Tabula Peutingeriana, which correctly places it between Brixia and Verona; the true form is preserved by inscriptions, of which one says that it was a trading place, with a corporation of ship-owners, collegium naviculariorum Ardelicensium. (Orell. Inscr. 4108.) The town is mentioned as Arilica in Pliny the Elder's Naturalis Historia.

The fortress at Peschiera played a prominent part in most military campaigns conducted in northern Italy after 1400, especially campaigns conducted during the Napoleonic wars. During the First Italian War of Independence, it was taken by the Piedmontese from the Austrians, after a gallant defence by General Rath lasting six weeks, on May 30, 1848.

Peschiera del Garda was also famous for its military jail, which closed in 2002.

The comune is part of the Associazione Città del vino ("Association of Wine Cities").

In winter, the nearby Laghetto del Frassino is the most important habitat for Tufted Ducks in Italy (Morbioli & Sighele 2006).

Main sights

Bounding communes

Transport

Peschiera del Garda railway station, opened in 1854, forms part of the Milan–Venice railway.

Twin cities

World heritage site

It is home to one or more prehistoric pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements that are part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps UNESCO World Heritage Site.[1]

References

External links