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Comacchio (; egl, label= Comacchiese, Cmâc' ) is a town and ''
comune The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces ('' province''). The can ...
'' of
Emilia Romagna egl, Emigliàn (man) egl, Emiglièna (woman) rgn, Rumagnòl (man) rgn, Rumagnòla (woman) it, Emiliano (man) it, Emiliana (woman) or it, Romagnolo (man) it, Romagnola (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title ...
,
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 territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
, in the province of Ferrara, from the provincial capital Ferrara. It was founded about two thousand years ago; across its history it was first governed by the
Exarchate of Ravenna The Exarchate of Ravenna ( la, Exarchatus Ravennatis; el, Εξαρχάτο της Ραβέννας) or of Italy was a lordship of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) in Italy, from 584 to 751, when the last exarch was put to death by the ...
, then by the Duchy of Ferrara, and eventually returned to be part of the territories of the
Papal States The Papal States ( ; it, Stato Pontificio, ), officially the State of the Church ( it, Stato della Chiesa, ; la, Status Ecclesiasticus;), were a series of territories in the Italian Peninsula under the direct Sovereignty, sovereign rule of ...
. For its landscape and its history, it is considered one of the major centres of the Po delta.


Geography

Comacchio is situated in a
lagoon A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into '' coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons' ...
just north of the present mouth of the
Reno Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the c ...
. It is built on more than thirteen different
islets An islet is a very small, often unnamed island. Most definitions are not precise, but some suggest that an islet has little or no vegetation and cannot support human habitation. It may be made of rock, sand and/or hard coral; may be permanen ...
, joined by bridges. The most important resources of these
wetlands A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free ( anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...
are the fish farming and the salt ponds. The seaport of Porto Garibaldi lies to the east. The wetlands south of the town, the '' Valli di Comacchio'', are classified as a Site of Community Importance and a Special Protection Area in Italy. They are also rated internationally important by the
Ramsar Convention The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar site, Ramsar sites (wetlands). It is also known as the Convention on W ...
for the conservation and
sustainable use Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time. The concept of sustainability can be used to guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable livin ...
of wetlands.


Etymology

The etymology of the town's name is uncertain (
Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
-
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power ...
''cumaculum'' meaning "small wave"; "grouping of bumps" in Etruscan). The foundation is attributed to the
Etruscans The Etruscan civilization () was developed by a people of Etruria in ancient Italy with a common language and culture who formed a federation of city-states. After conquering adjacent lands, its territory covered, at its greatest extent, roug ...
, who were already settled in the Po delta: the Etruscan city of Spina rose near Comacchio.


History

After its early occupation by the Etruscans and the
Gauls The Gauls ( la, Galli; grc, Γαλάται, ''Galátai'') were a group of Celtic peoples of mainland Europe in the Iron Age and the Roman period (roughly 5th century BC to 5th century AD). Their homeland was known as Gaul (''Gallia''). They s ...
, when the site lay on the main stream of the River Po, Comacchio was annexed by
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
. Under Emperor
Augustus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...
, who ruled Rome from 27 BC to AD 14, a canal was dug to deepen its lagoon. Part of the original wetlands were drained and divided among '' villae rusticae''. Comacchio enjoyed prosperity under the
Goths The Goths ( got, 𐌲𐌿𐍄𐌸𐌹𐌿𐌳𐌰, translit=''Gutþiuda''; la, Gothi, grc-gre, Γότθοι, Gótthoi) were a Germanic people who played a major role in the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the emergence of medieval Euro ...
and the
Lombards The Lombards () or Langobards ( la, Langobardi) were a Germanic people who ruled most of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774. The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the '' History of the Lombards'' (written between 787 an ...
, and became the seat of a Lombard duchy. It owed its fortunes to its
salt pans Salt pans can refer to: * Salt pan (geology), a flat expanse of ground covered with salt and other minerals, usually found in deserts ** Sabkha, a phonetic translation of the Arabic word for a salt pan (geology) * Salt evaporation pond, a method o ...
and its strategic importance to its location: when the Lombard king Authari expanded the Lombard dominion at the expense of Byzantium, he took the fortress of Comacchio and cut off communication between Padua and Ravenna. When the
Franks The Franks ( la, Franci or ) were a group of Germanic peoples whose name was first mentioned in 3rd-century Roman sources, and associated with tribes between the Lower Rhine and the Ems River, on the edge of the Roman Empire.H. Schutz: Tools, ...
descended into northern Italy in 756, their king,
Pepin the Short the Short (french: Pépin le Bref; – 24 September 768), also called the Younger (german: Pippin der Jüngere), was King of the Franks from 751 until his death in 768. He was the first Carolingian to become king. The younger was the son of ...
, included Comacchio in his famous donation of land to
Pope Stephen II Pope Stephen II ( la, Stephanus II; 714 – 26 April 757) was born a Roman aristocrat and member of the Orsini family. Stephen was the bishop of Rome from 26 March 752 to his death. Stephen II marks the historical delineation between the Byzant ...
, a grant later confirmed by Pepin's son and successor,
Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first Em ...
. In 854 Comacchio was sacked by their rivals in the salt trade, the Venetians, who laid it waste in 946. Saracen raiders burned the city in 876, but despite this Comacchio slowly recovered. The Holy See later acquired the city and presented it to the archbishopric of Ravenna. In 1299, Emperor Rudolph I conferred it on Obizzo IV d'Este of Ferrara. In 1508 it became Venetian, but in 1597 was claimed by Clement VIII as a vacant fief. In 1598 the
Papal States The Papal States ( ; it, Stato Pontificio, ), officially the State of the Church ( it, Stato della Chiesa, ; la, Status Ecclesiasticus;), were a series of territories in the Italian Peninsula under the direct Sovereignty, sovereign rule of ...
again acquired Comacchio and retained it until 1866 when it became a part of the
Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy ( it, Regno d'Italia) was a state that existed from 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia was proclaimed King of Italy, until 1946, when civil discontent led to an institutional referendum to abandon the monarchy and ...
. The spread of
malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or deat ...
made the site unhealthy. Since then, most of the swamp land has disappeared, leaving ground for the expansion of agriculture, and creating new zones for dwellings. The area was the scene of fierce fighting during Operation Roast, which occurred in the last months of the World War II. Comacchio was formerly the seat of a bishopric and retains its
cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominatio ...
, now a co-cathedral in the Archdiocese of Ferrara-Comacchio. The town was once home to a factory for sugar refining, which closed in 1988. Comacchio and its seafront ''Lidi'' are a centre for tourism. The town is noted in Italy for its practice of eel-fishing in the nearby wetlands, and many dishes served in Comacchio revolve around eel.


Main sights


Religious architecture

* Comacchio Cathedral (''Duomo di Comacchio'' or ''Basilica di San'' ''Cassiano''), dating back to the year 708 and dedicated to
Cassian of Imola Cassian, or Saint Cassian of Imola, or Cassius was a Christian saint of the 4th century. His feast day is August 13. Life Little is known about his life, although the traditional accounts converge on some of the details of his martyrdom. He was ...
, originally comprised three
nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-typ ...
s, while today it has a single nave with twelve side chapels. The most notable artworks in the cathedral are the paintings by Biagio Bevi, the statue of the town's patron Saint Cassian, the wooden crucifix crafted by Germano Cignani in the 17th century and the organ built in 1728 by Gian Domenico Traeri. Adjacent to the cathedral stands the bell tower, designed by the architect Giorgio Fossati: it was built in 1751 but collapsed just a few years later, in 1757. It was later rebuilt and completed only in 1868 on the base of the old bell tower. Sanctuary of ''Santa Maria in Aula Regia'' and ''Loggiato dei Cappuccini'', thumb *Monastery of '' Santa Maria in Aula Regia'': the current building, built in 1665, replaced the monastery of ''Santa Maria in Auregario'', dated back to the 10th century. Of particular interest is the altarpiece of the high altar, late Renaissance work of a Ferrarese craftsman. The ''Loggiato dei Cappuccini'', a 400 metres long arcade erected in 1647 in front of the building, was commissioned by the cardinal Stefano Donghi and is made up of 143 arches, each supported by a marble column. *'' Chiesa del Rosario'' (Church of the Rosary), built in 1618 by the will of the brotherhood of the Holy Rosary, it has a single nave. Noteworthy artworks are the wooden crucifix by the Venetian Filippo de Porris (1641), the
polychrome Polychrome is the "practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." The term is used to refer to certain styles of architecture, pottery or sculpture in multiple colors. Ancient Egypt Colossal statue ...
wooden statue of the Mary (16th century) and many of the 17th century paintings kept inside. *''Chiesa del Carmine'', located next to ''Ponte Pizzetti'' and in front of ''Ponte del Carmine'', was built at the beginning of the 17th century. It looks like a simple building with a
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass id ...
style; it has a single nave with a semicircular
apse In architecture, an apse (plural apses; from Latin 'arch, vault' from Ancient Greek 'arch'; sometimes written apsis, plural apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an '' exedra''. ...
. Noteworthy are the wooden altarpiece and the high altar. In the 1970s, the interior has undergone considerable changes. *Monastery of ''Sant'Agostino'', probably built between the 6th and the 7th century. Originally a church dedicated to Saint Maurus, it suffered looting during the continuous incursions by the Venetians and
Saracen upright 1.5, Late 15th-century German woodcut depicting Saracens Saracen ( ) was a term used in the early centuries, both in Greek and Latin writings, to refer to the people who lived in and near what was designated by the Romans as Arabia P ...
s. In 1622, its remains were ceded to the Discalced Augustinians. in 1644 it was dedicated to Saint Augustine. The church were used as a convent, which eventually became a fortress when the Austrian troops seized Comacchio first, between 1708 and 1725, and then the French, until 1813. With the
Italian unification The unification of Italy ( it, Unità d'Italia ), also known as the ''Risorgimento'' (, ; ), was the 19th-century political and social movement that resulted in the consolidation of different states of the Italian Peninsula into a single ...
, the destination of the building remained unclear until 1928, when the complex was converted to a school after the completion of restoration works. *''Chiesa dei Caduti'' or ''Chiesa del Suffragio'', located a few meters from the ''Loggia del Grano'', was built in 1644. Noteworthy are the three paintings behind the altar: the central one was painted first by Antonio Randa, while the lateral ones were painted later in 17th century by an unknown author. *Monastery of ''Santa Maria in Padovetere'', in Valle Pega.


Civil architecture

The historical residential zone stood on small islands connected to each other: for this reason, the bridges are the defining element of the historic centre of Comacchio.


Bridges

''Trepponti'' bridge *''Trepponti'' ("Three bridges") or ''Ponte Pallotta'', the symbol of Comacchio, is a bridge consisting of five large staircases (three on the front and two on the rear), culminating in an Istrian stone floor. It was wanted by the cardinal Giovan Battista Pallotta during the so-called "urban rebirth". Designed by Luca Danese of Ravenna in 1634 and built around 1638 by the Capuchin Giovanni Pietro da Lugano, it connects the city center with the navigable canal Pallotta, coming from the sea. It includes five large staircases (three front and two rear) in Istrian stone, built in a round arch. *''Ponte di San Pietro'' (Saint Peter's bridge), built in the 17th century, marks the beginning of the most antique and characteristic district of Comacchio. It has been completely restored in the recent days. * *''Ponte dei Sisti'', built in the 18th century entirely with brick, with a single arch. *''Ponte degli Sbirri'' or ''Ponte delle Carceri'' ("Bridge of the cops" or "Bridge of the prisons"), built between 1631 and 1635 and designed by Luca Danese of Ravenna by the will of cardinal Giovan Battista Pallotta, it consists of three arches in brick and Istrian stone. It takes its name from the facing district prison, which once housed the prisoners of Comacchio, mostly poachers or "''fiocinini''". This bridge constitutes the main canal junction of the city, from which it was possible to sail towards the sea in all directions. The San Pietro district extends southwards from here. *''Ponte del Teatro'' (Theatre's bridge), built in the 17th century. *''Ponte del Carmine'' and ''Ponte Pizzetti'', respectively located to the side and in
frieze In architecture, the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Paterae are also usually used to decorate friezes. Even when neither columns nor ...
of ''Chiesa del Carmine'', are among the largest in the city—although not the most complex, having a single arch. Both date back to the 18th century; ''Pizzetti Bridge'' was recently fully restored.


Buildings

The clock tower. *''Torre civica'', or the clock tower, is a reconstruction of the 19th of the original one, dated back to the 14th century, which ruined to the ground in 1816. Since 1872 the tower has been equipped with a mechanical watch. *''Palazzo Bellini'' is an aristocratic palace built between 1868 and 1870. Today it hosts the Gallery of Contemporary Art, the historical archive, the town's library and offices of the department of cultural institutions. *''Palazzo Patrignani'', dating back to the 16th century and restored several times, was inhabited by an eminent family of Comacchio. Findings of an ancient flooring testifies that probably it had been the seat of the old convent of Church of San Nicolò. Today it hosts university courses. *The antique ''Ospedale degli Infermi'' is a
neoclassical architecture Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing sty ...
built between 1778 and 1784 by the will of
Pope Clement XIV Pope Clement XIV ( la, Clemens XIV; it, Clemente XIV; 31 October 1705 – 22 September 1774), born Giovanni Vincenzo Antonio Ganganelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 May 1769 to his death in Sep ...
. The project was assigned to the Venetian architect
Antonio Foschini Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language-speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 400 most popular ...
, who designed the facade and the main body of the building. The back was built by the Ferrarese architect
Gaetano Genta Gaetano (anglicized '' Cajetan'') is an Italian masculine given name. It is also used as a surname. It is derived from the Latin ''Caietanus'', meaning "from ''Caieta''" (the modern Gaeta). The given name has been in use in Italy since medieval ...
, who replaced Foschini in 1780 in the works supervision and completed the building. The hospital was inaugurated on 15 May 1811 by a decree of Eugenio Napoleone, viceroy of Italy. The structure remained in operation until the end of the 1970s. Since 2017, it houses the ''Delta Antico'' Museum, which keeps a collection of two thousand finds covering a period from the
protohistory Protohistory is a period between prehistory and history during which a culture or civilization has not yet developed writing, but other cultures have already noted the existence of those pre-literate groups in their own writings. For example, in ...
to the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
. *''Loggia dei Mercanti del Grano'' (or ''Loggia del Grano''), built in 1621 by the will of cardinal Giacomo Serra, was used as a grain storehouse for the poor people of Comacchio. It has a rectangular plan and it is supported by marble columns. The monumental ''Ponte di Piazza'' used to be in its proximity, but it was demolished after 1850. *The Episcopal Palace is believed to be built between the late 16th and the early 17th century. The governors of the city used to live there until 1745, when it was sold to the bishop Cristoforo Lugaresi with the commitment to host a seminar and the public school. The bishops of the Diocese of Comacchio have been living there from 1748 to 1986. *''Palazzo Tura'', built in 1715 by the
abbot Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a monastery. Th ...
Pietro Maria Zanoli and restored by the Tura family, is located in front of the Cathedral. Built with an almost square base, it has a Venetian cotto facade and it spreads over two floors with a central tower. A notable architectural element is the staircase with balustrade in
polychrome Polychrome is the "practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." The term is used to refer to certain styles of architecture, pottery or sculpture in multiple colors. Ancient Egypt Colossal statue ...
marble, designed by the Bolognese architect Cellamarini to replace the original one. * Remo Brindisi Museum at ''Lido di Spina.''


Anthropic geography


Lidos

Comacchio is known for its seven lidos, with its wide sandy shores spreading throughout the coast, from the mouths of the
Reno Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the c ...
river to the Po di Volano river, crossing the regional park of Po delta. They are, from northern to southern: * Lido di Volano * Lido delle Nazioni * Lido di Pomposa * Lido degli Scacchi * Porto Garibaldi * Lido degli Estensi * Lido di Spina The oldest of them is Porto Garibaldi; the most recently established is Lido di Volano.


Economy

Tourism is one of the main activities in its seven lidos, especially during summer. Other prominent activities are
commercial fishing Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for commercial profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice it as an industry must oft ...
,
aquaculture Aquaculture (less commonly spelled aquiculture), also known as aquafarming, is the controlled cultivation ("farming") of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, mollusks, algae and other organisms of value such as aquatic plants (e.g. lotus ...
and
fish farming upright=1.3, mariculture.html" ;"title="Salmon farming in the sea (mariculture">Salmon farming in the sea (mariculture) at Loch Ainort, Isle of Skye, Scotland Fish farming or pisciculture involves commercial animal husbandry, breeding of fish, ...
. In the past, salt production was also very important, whose trade had been causing bitter disputes with the Serenissima Republic of Venice. Comacchio is appreciated for having kept intact most of its architecture over time: canals, ancient buildings and monumental bridges are elements that give it the typical appearance of the northern lagoon cities (for example,
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 ...
and other cities of the Venetian lagoon). For this reason, it is also known as the ''Little Venice''.


See also

*
National Archaeological Museum of Ferrara The National Archaeological Museum of Ferrara is housed in Palazzo Costabili, in Ferrara, Italy. It holds various excavated artifacts from the Etruscan city of Spina, which flourished between the 6th and 3rd centuries BC.Cozzolino and Desantis, ...
* Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ferrara-Comacchio


References

{{Authority control Cities and towns in Emilia-Romagna