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The Bacchiglione ( la, Medoacus Minor, "Little Medoacus") is a river that flows in
Veneto
Veneto (, ; vec, Vèneto ) or Venetia is one of the 20 regions of Italy. Its population is about five million, ranking fourth in Italy. The region's capital is Venice while the biggest city is Verona.
Veneto was part of the Roman Empire unt ...
,
northern Italy
Northern Italy ( it, Italia settentrionale, it, Nord Italia, label=none, it, Alta Italia, label=none or just it, Nord, label=none) is a geographical and cultural region in the northern part of Italy. It consists of eight administrative regions ...
. It rises in the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...
and empties about later into the
Brenta River
The Brenta is an Italian river that runs from Trentino to the Adriatic Sea just south of the Venetian lagoon in the Veneto region, in the north-east of Italy.
During the Roman era, it was called Medoacus (Ancient Greek: ''Mediochos'', ''Μηδ ...
near
Chioggia
Chioggia (; vec, Cióxa , locally ; la, Clodia) is a coastal town and ''comune'' of the Metropolitan City of Venice in the Veneto region of northern Italy.
Geography
The town is situated on a small island at the southern entrance to the L ...
. It flows through and past a number of cities, including
Vicenza
Vicenza ( , ; ) is a city in northeastern Italy. It is in the Veneto region at the northern base of the ''Monte Berico'', where it straddles the Bacchiglione River. Vicenza is approximately west of Venice and east of Milan.
Vicenza is a th ...
and
Padua
Padua ( ; it, Padova ; vec, Pàdova) is a city and ''comune'' in Veneto, northern Italy. Padua is on the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice. It is the capital of the province of Padua. It is also the economic and communications hub of the ...
. It acted for many centuries as a significant waterway up to
Vicenza
Vicenza ( , ; ) is a city in northeastern Italy. It is in the Veneto region at the northern base of the ''Monte Berico'', where it straddles the Bacchiglione River. Vicenza is approximately west of Venice and east of Milan.
Vicenza is a th ...
, above which it ceases to be navigable. It was connected in the 19th century to the
Adige
The Adige (; german: Etsch ; vec, Àdexe ; rm, Adisch ; lld, Adesc; la, Athesis; grc, Ἄθεσις, Áthesis, or , ''Átagis'') is the second-longest river in Italy, after the Po. It rises near the Reschen Pass in the Vinschgau in the prov ...
by a canal.
Course
![Fiumi medio veneto](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Fiumi_medio_veneto.svg)
The river starts in some springs in the towns of
Dueville and
Villaverla
Villaverla is a town in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy. It is west of SP349 and south of A31.
Origins
From Roman times, the original name of the nearby village that eventually became Villaverla was "Roveredum." The center of that first vi ...
, in the
province of Vicenza
The Province of Vicenza ( it, Provincia di Vicenza) is a province in the Veneto region in northern Italy. Its capital city is Vicenza.
The province has an area of 2,722.53 km², and a total population of 865,082 (as of 2017). There are 1 ...
. Here it is called "Bacchiglioncello". Just upstream of the city of
Vicenza
Vicenza ( , ; ) is a city in northeastern Italy. It is in the Veneto region at the northern base of the ''Monte Berico'', where it straddles the Bacchiglione River. Vicenza is approximately west of Venice and east of Milan.
Vicenza is a th ...
receives water from the
Leogra Timonchio (which descends from
Mount Pasubio). At this junction, the river becomes the Bacchiglione.
At Ponte del Bo, above
Vicenza
Vicenza ( , ; ) is a city in northeastern Italy. It is in the Veneto region at the northern base of the ''Monte Berico'', where it straddles the Bacchiglione River. Vicenza is approximately west of Venice and east of Milan.
Vicenza is a th ...
, it joins with the Orolo. In Vicenza, the Bacchiglione is joined by the rivers
Tesina
The Tesina is an Italian river that runs in the Veneto region, in the north-east of Italy. Its source is at Cibalde, a locality in the commune of Sandrigo. It flows in the Bacchiglione river near San Pietro Intrigogna, in the territory of Vicenz ...
, Retrone and Astichello. The river is about long and has a basin of . The average flow of the Bacchiglione in Padua is about 30 m
3/s and flows through the summer dry season.
Bisatto Canal
At
Longare
Longare is a town in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its t ...
, the Bisatto (or "Bisato") Canal was built in the twelfth century.
Verona
Verona ( , ; vec, Verona or ) is a city on the Adige River in Veneto, Northern Italy, Italy, with 258,031 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region. It is the largest city Comune, municipality in the region and the ...
and
Vicenza
Vicenza ( , ; ) is a city in northeastern Italy. It is in the Veneto region at the northern base of the ''Monte Berico'', where it straddles the Bacchiglione River. Vicenza is approximately west of Venice and east of Milan.
Vicenza is a th ...
built it to divert water away from
Padua
Padua ( ; it, Padova ; vec, Pàdova) is a city and ''comune'' in Veneto, northern Italy. Padua is on the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice. It is the capital of the province of Padua. It is also the economic and communications hub of the ...
during the many political struggles of the time, as told in the ninth canto of Dante's "
Paradiso". The channel goes to Lozzo Atestino and
Este; then continues to Monselice ("Este - Montelice Canal"). Then into the Battaglia Terme ("Battle Canal" or "Monselice Canal"), where it meets the Battaglia Canal from Padua. Through the Vigenzone Canal ("Cagnola Canal ") waters are reunited with the river Bacchiglione ("Channel Pontelongo"), allowing Vicenza to arrive in Chioggia without having to pass through Padua.
Brentella Canal
The Brentella Canal originates from the
Brenta River
The Brenta is an Italian river that runs from Trentino to the Adriatic Sea just south of the Venetian lagoon in the Veneto region, in the north-east of Italy.
During the Roman era, it was called Medoacus (Ancient Greek: ''Mediochos'', ''Μηδ ...
in
Limena
Limena is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Padua in the Italian region Veneto, located about west of Venice and about north of Padua.
Limena borders the following municipalities: Curtarolo, Padua, Piazzola sul Brenta, Vigodarz ...
, where the flow is regulated by a hydraulic barrier (the "Colmelloni"), and joins the Bacchiglione just before Padua's airport. The Brentella Canal was built in 1314 Padua to prevent the city of Vicenza from stopping the river when it created the Bisatto Canal.
Battaglia Canal
On the southern outskirts of Padua, the Battaglia Canal begins. Built in the 12th century, it heads south towards Battaglia Spa. This is connection from the Canal Bisatto, which separated from the Bacchiglione River at Vicenza. Through the Channel Vigenzone and then "Channel Cagnola", to flow again in the final stretch of the Bacchiglione ("Pontelongo Canal").
Scaricatore Canal
To prevent flood damage in the second half of the nineteenth century the Scaricatore Canal was built. It starts from Bassanello and carries the excess water from the Padua River (Channel Roncajette), near the town of Voltabarozzo.
Bridges
The
Ponte San Lorenzo
The Ponte San Lorenzo is a Roman bridge over the river Bacchiglione in Padua, Italy. Constructed between 47 and 30 BC, it is one of the very earliest segmental arched bridges in the world. It is also notable for the slenderness of its piers, ...
, a
Roman bridge
The ancient Romans were the first civilization to build large, permanent bridges. Early Roman bridges used techniques introduced by Etruscan immigrants, but the Romans improved those skills, developing and enhancing methods such as arches and ...
largely underground, along with the ancient
Ponte Molino,
Ponte Altinate,
Ponte Corvo
Pontecorvo is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Frosinone, Lazio, Italy. Its population is c. 13,200.
History
The village lies under Rocca Guglielma, a medieval fortification perched on an inaccessible spur. Its name derives from the ''p ...
and
Ponte S. Matteo.
*
Ponte San Lorenzo
The Ponte San Lorenzo is a Roman bridge over the river Bacchiglione in Padua, Italy. Constructed between 47 and 30 BC, it is one of the very earliest segmental arched bridges in the world. It is also notable for the slenderness of its piers, ...
,
Padua
Padua ( ; it, Padova ; vec, Pàdova) is a city and ''comune'' in Veneto, northern Italy. Padua is on the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice. It is the capital of the province of Padua. It is also the economic and communications hub of the ...
, one of the earliest
Roman segmental arch bridges
*
Ponte Molino, Padua, another segmental arch bridge of Roman origin
References
Sources
* .
{{Authority control
Rivers of Italy
Rivers of the Province of Padua
Rivers of the Province of Vicenza
Waterways of Italy