Castiglione delle Stiviere

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Castiglione delle Stiviere
Comune
Città di Castiglione delle Stiviere

Coat of arms
Castiglione delle Stiviere
Location of Castiglione delle Stiviere in Italy
Coordinates: 45°23′30″N 10°29′20″E / 45.39167°N 10.48889°E / 45.39167; 10.48889
Country Italy
Region Lombardy
Province Mantua (MN)
Frazioni Astore, Gozzolina, Grole, San Vigilio
Government
  Mayor Alessandro Novellini (PD)
Area
  Total 42 km2 (16 sq mi)
Elevation 111 m (364 ft)
Population (31 September 2009)
  Total 22,216
  Density 530/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Demonym Castiglionesi
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 46043
Dialing code 0376
Patron saint St. Aloysius Gonzaga
Saint day June 21
Website Official website

Castiglione delle Stiviere is a town and comune in the province of Mantua, in Lombardy, Italy, 30 kilometres (19 miles) northwest of Mantua by road.

History

During the War of the Spanish Succession, the French under the duc de Vendôme occupied it.

In 1706, in the first Battle of Castiglione a French army under Jacques Eléonor Rouxel de Grancey defeated here a Hessian army led by Frederick I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel.

During the siege of Mantua in 1796, the Austrians under Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser were defeated here in the second Battle of Castiglione by the revolutionary French army under General Augereau, later Marshal of France, who in 1808 was created Duke of Castiglione by Emperor Napoleon I, a hereditary victory title (so there never was an actual territorial duchy attached to it) extinguished in 1915.

It is the birthplace of St. Aloysius Gonzaga (Italian: Luigi Gonzaga, 9 March 1568 – 21 June 1591) who was a Jesuit. Aloysius was buried in the Church of the Annunciation in Rome. His head was later translated to the basilica bearing his name in Castiglione delle Stiviere.

Castiglione received the honorary title of city by presidential decree on 18 October 2001.

Main sights

It has an old castle, much altered and restored, especially by the Gonzaga family of Mantua in the 16th century.

Castiglione is the birthplace of the International Red Cross, which was established by Henri Dunant during the aftermath of the Battle of Solferino in 1859. There is a museum in the center of the town dedicated to the IRC.

International relations

Twin towns – Sister cities

Castiglione delle Stiviere is twinned with:

References

    External links


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