Magasa 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 also ...
'' in the
province of Brescia
The Province of Brescia ( it, provincia di Brescia; Brescian: ) is a Province in the Lombardy administrative region of northern Italy. It has a population of some 1,265,964 (as of January 2019) and its capital is the city of Brescia.
With an ar ...
, in
Lombardy
Lombardy ( it, Lombardia, Lombard language, Lombard: ''Lombardia'' or ''Lumbardia' '') is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in the northern-central part of the country and has a population of about 10 ...
in northern
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 re ...
.
Historical and cultural profile
In position on the plateau of Denai, in the Valley of Vestino, inland of
Lake of Garda
Lake Garda ( it, Lago di Garda or ; lmo, label=Eastern Lombard, Lach de Garda; vec, Ƚago de Garda; la, Benacus; grc, Βήνακος) is the largest lake in Italy.
It is a popular holiday location in northern Italy, about halfway between ...
, rises the small village of Magasa, whose origins go back to the
Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...
; they called the place ''mag'', the field. The
Stoni and the
Gallic Cenomani The Gaulish name Cenomani can refer to:
* Aulerci Cenomani, an ancient Gallic tribe dwelling around modern Le Mans
* Cenomani (Cisalpine Gaul)
The Cenomani (Greek: , Strabo, Ptol.; , Polyb.), was an ancient tribe of the Cisalpine Gauls, who ...
, then the Romans and the Lombards lived here. The Lodrone family established in Magasa from 1200 to 1807; then, for centuries, this has been nobody's land. It became part of Italy in 1919, Magasa was separated from
Trentino
Trentino ( lld, Trentin), officially the Autonomous Province of Trento, is an autonomous province of Italy, in the country's far north. The Trentino and South Tyrol constitute the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, an autonomous region ...
in 1934, and became a hamlet of Turano.
The ancient administrative autonomy of 1589, was achieved again in 1947. The abundance of pastures has always been significant for the village economy, dedicated to cattle raising that survives, still today, in summer mountain barns, with production of milk, from which famous cheeses and butter are obtained, The historical core is a crossing of small passages with peasants' high and narrow houses; the church is dedicated to Sant'Antonio Abate, mid 18th century.
[''Magasa'', Province of Brescia, DeAdostini, Novara, 2009.]
Inside, the religious building is characterized by the floor in red and yellow stones from the Denervo mountain. The pleasant hamlet of Cadria is surrounded by a magic natural atmosphere; the people are proud of their small church of San Lorenzo. The church, of allegedly of
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 and ...
origins, was restored in 1547 and is the pilgrimage arrival on occasion of the patron's day, 10 August. An ancient ritual is renewed, instituted by testament in 1588, with the distribution to every participant to the religious celebration of one piece of bread and fifth of wine.
Today, the village of Magasa is the owner of the church and it is morally engaged to comply with the original benefactor's desire to renew the tradition. The bright sky of Cima Rest, free from any pollution, has allowed the association Astrofili di
Salò
Salò (; la, Salodium) is a town and ''comune'' in the Province of Brescia in the region of Lombardy (northern Italy) on the banks of Lake Garda, on which it has the longest promenade. The city was the seat of government of the Italian Socia ...
to arrange an Astronomical public observatory.
The haylofts of Cima Rest
The straw-roofed haylofts of plateau Denai and Cima Rest are mentioned for the first time in a document dated 1613. Some historians have established a link between their constructive type and some low Middle Age constructions; other say that
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 and ...
from Hungary built them in 600 a. D.
Their unique architecture is a true masterpiece of efficiency and economy. The steep roof in wheat straw is waterproof. In order not to lose the memory of the places and local culture, one of the haylofts of Cima Rest has become the Ethnographic Museum of the
Valvestino
Valvestino (Brescian: ) is a ''comune'' in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy in northern Italy.
Historical and cultural profile
The Stoni and the Gallic Cenomani, then the Romans and the Lombards lived here. The Lodrone family established ...
.
Municipality
![Processione](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Processione.JPG)
*Mayor: Federico Venturini
*Election: 30 March 2010
*Party: Lista Civica
*Tel.: 0365 745010
*EmailComune: info@comune-magasa-bs.it
*Vice-mayor: Tommaso Mazza
*Fax: 0365 74049
*Biblioteca Comunale: via
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Maria Garibaldi ( , ;In his native Ligurian language, he is known as ''Gioxeppe Gaibado''. In his particular Niçard dialect of Ligurian, he was known as ''Jousé'' or ''Josep''. 4 July 1807 – 2 June 1882) was an Italian general, patr ...
, 1
Mayors 1948–
*1948–60, Giuseppe Zeni, Lista Civica;
*1960–64, Angelo Gamba, Lista Civica;
*1965, Andrea De Rossi, commissario prefettizio;
*1965–72, Fioravante Gottardi, Lista Civica;
*1972–75, Dino Venturini, Lista Civica;
*1975–80, Antonio Zeni, Lista Civica;
*1980–91, Evaristo Venturini, Lista civica;
*1991–99, Giorgio Venturini, Lista Civica;
*1999–2000, Zaira Romano, commissario prefettizio;
*2000–05, Ermenegildo Venturini, Lista Civica.
*2005–10, Ermenegildo Venturini, Lista Civica
*2010– Federico Venturini, Lista Civica
Festival and events
Municipality of Magasa
* Feast of Alpine troops in August;
* Feast of the cheese in Cima Rest in September.
References
Bibliography
* Bruno Festa, ''Boschi, fienili e malghe - Magasa tra il XVI e il XX secolo'', Grafo edizioni, Brescia 1998;
* Nicola Gallinaro ed Elio Della Ferrera, ''Terra tra due laghi'', Consorzio Forestale della Valvestino, Sondrio 2004;
* Gianpaolo Zeni, ''"En Merica!" - L'emigrazione della gente di Magasa e Val Vestino in America'', Comune e Biblioteca di Magasa, Bagnolo Mella 2005;
* Gianpaolo Zeni, ''La guerra delle Sette Settimane. La campagna garibaldina del 1866 sul fronte di Magasa e Val Vestino'', Comune e Biblioteca di Magasa, Bagnolo Mella 2006;
* Vito Zeni, ''La valle di Vestino - Appunti di storia locale'', Fondazione Civiltà Bresciana 1993.
* Gianpaolo Zeni, ''Al servizio dei Lodron. La storia di sei secoli di intensi rapporti tra le comunità di Magasa e Val Vestino e la nobile famiglia dei Conti di Lodrone'', Comune e Biblioteca di Magasa, Bagnolo Mella 2007.
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