Valcamonica, the most extensive of the Lombard valleys and no less renowned for its ancient military history, for its most honourable noble families, and men who were distinguished in letters, in arms, and public offices, and famed for the fertility of its soil; for the industry and commerce of its people….—Agostino Caggioli - Storia di Valcamonica, 1853
Val Camonica (also Valcamonica or Camonica Valley, in camunian dialect Al Camònega, poetic Camunia) is one of the largest valleys of the central Alps, in eastern Lombardy, about 90 km long. It starts from the Tonale Pass, at 1883 metres above sea level and ends at Corna Trentapassi, in the comune of Pisogne, near Lake Iseo. It has an area of about 1,335 km2[1] and 118,323 inhabitants [2].
It is traversed throughout its full length from the river Oglio, which begins in Ponte di Legno and terminates in lake Sebino between Pisogne and Costa Volpino.
Valle Camonica derives its name from the Latin Vallis Camunnorum, that means "the Valley of the Camunni", the name by which the Romans called the inhabitants (today are called Camuni).
Almost all of the valley is included in the administrative territory of the province of Brescia, excluding Lovere, Rogno, Costa Volpino and the Val di Scalve,which are parts of the province of Bergamo.
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Valle Camonica can be divided into three main areas:
It is bounded by these borders:
| North | East | South | West |
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The Valle Camonica is crossed by the River Oglio, the fifth longest river of Italy, which was born in Ponte di Legno from the confluence of rivers Frigidolfo and Narcanello. It flows into Lake Iseo between the municipalities of Pisogne and Costa Volpino.
At the town of Rogno its western shore falls under the administration of the province of Bergamo.
Abundant are the streams that descend from the sides of mountains to join to the Oglio (Oi in camunian dialect) of which some are seasonal, and during the summer are dry.
At high altitude there are many alpine lakes, including Lake d'Arno, Lake Moro, as well as many water catchment constructed in the first half of the twentieth century, in order to channel water to power hydroelectric plants in the area.
The ancient history of Valle Camonica begins with the end of last ice age, around 15,000 years ago when the glacier, melting, creates the valley.
The inhabitants, who had begun to visit the valley already in epipaleolithic, settled from the Neolithic. They were called by Romans the Camunni, people of uncertain origin, famous for stone carvings: in Val Camonica they left about 300,000 petroglyphs, which made the area one of the largest centers of rock art in Europe.
Towards the end of the first century BCE Valle Camonica is attached to Roman Empire and founded the city of Cividate Camuno, with spas, theater and amphitheater and a sanctuary of Minerva, among the largest in the Alps.
During the Middle Ages there were in the area numerous clashes between the Guelph and Ghibelline parties, the first who supported the power of the Bishop of Brescia and the papacy, the second the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1287 the Camonica Valley rebelled to the interference of Brescia and the Visconti of Milan, called by both sides as arbitrators, extended their control over the area during all the 14° century.
From 1427 to 1454 there were numerous battles between the Republic of Venice and Milan for the control of the valley. Venice won and the area passed under the control of the Serenissima until 1797. In this long period, known as the Pax Veneta, the civilian population is devoted to trade, especially of iron.
The starting of nineteenth century was very complex: the area passed from the control of Napoleon to that of the Austro-Hungarian kingdom. Only in 1859 Val Camonica was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy.
In 1914 there was the outbreak of World War I. The line of war was along the est border of Val Camonica, across the Adamello Group. The battles fought in this area are known as White war in Adamello.
In 1955, the National Park of Naquane stone carvings in Capo di Ponte was founded by the Archaeological Superintendence of Lombardy.
It is home to the greatest complex of rock drawings in Europe, with approximately 300,000 petroglyphs[3], dated from epipaleolithic to the middle ages.
Sports take place in Ponte di Legno, Borno, Montecampione and Aprica
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