Bardi ( egl, Bàrdi) is a ''

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 ...

'' (municipality) in the Province of Parma in the Italian region

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 ...

, located about west of

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label=Emilian language, Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 1 ...

and about southwest of

Parma Parma (; egl, Pärma, ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, music, art, prosciutto (ham), cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,292 inhabitants, Parma is the second mos ...

, in the upper Ceno valley at the confluence of the rivers Ceno and Noveglia. It is dominated by the imposing built over a spur of red

jasper Jasper, an aggregate of microgranular quartz and/or cryptocrystalline chalcedony and other mineral phases,Kostov, R. I. 2010. Review on the mineralogical systematics of jasper and related rocks. – Archaeometry Workshop, 7, 3, 209-213PDF/ref> ...

. Bardi borders the following municipalities: Bedonia, Bore,

Borgo Val di Taro Borgo Val di Taro, usually referred to as Borgotaro, ( Parmigiano: ; locally ) is a town and ''comune'' in Emilia, Italy, in the Province of Parma, from the city of Parma. Borgo Val di Taro is an important centre for cattle husbandry in Emilia ...

Compiano Compiano ( Parmigiano: ) is a medieval walled town in the Taro Valley (Parmesan Apennines), a 50 minute-drive to the Ligurian Sea and to Parma. The top of Compiano's hill is home to the medieval Castello di Compiano. History It was said the G ...

, Farini, Ferriere, Morfasso, Valmozzola, Varsi.

History

According to a legend, the town's name derives from "Bardus", or "Barrio", the last elephant of Hannibal's army, who supposedly died here during the march to

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 ...

. Historically, the name stems from the Lombard nobility who established themselves in Bardi around 600 AD. In 1000 the

bishop of Piacenza A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

took up residence here. In 1257 the Landi of Piacenza acquired it, remaining lord of Bardi for the following four centuries. In 1269 the castle was stormed by an army led by Alberto Fontana, and the commune of Piacenza held it until 1307, when Emperor Henry VII gave it back to Umbertino II Landi.

Galeazzo I Visconti Galeazzo I Visconti (21 January 1277 – 6 August 1328) was lord of Milan from 1322 to 1327. After being chosen Captain of Milan, he defeated two papal armies and was excommunicated by Pope John XXII. Temporarily imprisoned for murder, Galeazzo ret ...

of Milan obtained a notable victory over the Guelphs in the vicinity on November 29, 1321. In 1381 the Landi were declared formally independent by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, and obtained a complete autonomy in 1415. Federico and his daughter renewed the castle in the 16th-17th century, also establishing a college of notaries which lasted until 1805. In 1682 Polissena's son Dario ceded Bardi to Ranuccio II Farnese,

Duke of Parma and Piacenza The Duke of Parma and Piacenza () was the ruler of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza, a historical state of Northern Italy, which existed between 1545 and 1802, and again from 1814 to 1859. The Duke of Parma was also Duke of Piacenza, excep ...

, and the town followed the story of the latter until the

unification of Italy 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 ...

. From the late 19th to the 20th century, much of the town's population emigrated to

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

, Switzerland,

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

and particularly

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

, where they had a notable impact on Welsh life. Today many

Welsh Italians Welsh Italians are an ethnic minority of Italian or mixed Italian and Welsh descent living in Wales. Most Italian immigration to Wales took place in the 19th and early 20th centuries, with the largest number of migrants settling in Glamorgan and ...

return to

Emilia Romagna Emilia-Romagna (, , both also ; ; egl, Emégglia-Rumâgna or ''Emîlia-Rumâgna''; rgn, Emélia-Rumâgna) is one of the 20 Regions of Italy, administrative regions of Italy, situated in the north of the country, comprising the historical regions ...

for short breaks and as a second home. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

the area saw numerous clashes between the German occupants and the partisans, the city being bombed by 12 Stukas on July 17, 1944.

Main sights

*''Castello dei Landi'' *Parish Church of ''San Giovanni Battista'' (16th century) *Parish Church of ''Santa Maria Addolorata'' (20th century) *Oratory of ''Santa Maria delle Grazie'' (13th century) - It houses an early work by Mannerist painter

Parmigianino Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola (11 January 150324 August 1540), also known as Francesco Mazzola or, more commonly, as Parmigianino (, , ; "the little one from Parma"), was an Italian Mannerist painter and printmaker active in Florence, Rome, B ...

, the '' Bardi Altarpiece'' (1521) *Parish Church ''San Martino Dicatum'' (Localita Rugarlo di Bardi) *Parish Church of ''Santa Maria Assunta'' - 900AD - (Frazione Casanova di Bardi) *Chapel dedicated to ''San Siro'' *Memorial Chapel of the

Arandora Star SS ''Arandora Star'', originally SS ''Arandora'', was a British passenger ship of the Blue Star Line. She was built in 1927 as an ocean liner and refrigerated cargo ship, converted in 1929 into a cruise ship and requisitioned as a troopship in t ...

(20th century) *River Ceno Ceno *Frazione Gravago di Bardi - There is a castle here built in the 8th century and owned by the Landi. *The Mechanical Bear situated in Via Provinciale. It is a tradition to have your photo taken whilst astride the bear every time you visit. It is said to bring good fortune and virility.

Notable people

* Aldo Berni, founder, Berni Inn restaurant chain
Walter Belli
World Champion MTB rider.
Andrea Pontremoli
former president and CEO of IBM Europe and now CEO and General Manager of Dallara Racing

References

External links

Official website

Amici Val Ceno Galles

Grande Bar Bardi
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