Viadana ( Casalasco-Viadanese: ) is a ''

comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...

'' (municipality) in the

Province of Mantua The province of Mantua (; Emilian language#Dialects, Mantuan, Emilian language#Dialects, Lower Mantuan: ; Emilian language#Dialects, Upper Mantuan: ) is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of M ...

in the Italian region

Lombardy The Lombardy Region (; ) is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in northern Italy and has a population of about 10 million people, constituting more than one-sixth of Italy's population. Lombardy is ...

, located about southeast of

Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...

and about southwest of

Mantua Mantua ( ; ; Lombard language, Lombard and ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Italian region of Lombardy, and capital of the Province of Mantua, eponymous province. In 2016, Mantua was designated as the "Italian Capital of Culture". In 2 ...

. Viadana borders the following municipalities:

Boretto Boretto ( Reggiano: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Reggio Emilia in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about northwest of Bologna and about northwest of Reggio Emilia.. Boretto borders the following municipalities: ...

, Borgo Virgilio,

Brescello Brescello (; in the local dialect, in the Reggio Emilia dialect) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Reggio Emilia in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about northwest of Bologna and about northwest of Reggio Emilia. ...

Casalmaggiore Casalmaggiore ( Casalasco-Viadanese: ) is a ''comune'' in the province of Cremona, Lombardy, Italy, located on the Po River. It was the birthplace of Italian composers Ignazio Donati and Andrea Zani. Recently, its women's volleyball team Volleyb ...

, Commessaggio, Dosolo,

Gazzuolo Gazzuolo ( Mantovano: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about southeast of Milan and about southwest of Mantua. The town had been a possession of Gonzaga family, the lord of Mantua, ...

, Marcaria,

Mezzani Mezzani ( or , ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Parma in the Italy, Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about northwest of Bologna and about northeast of Parma. The principal centres of the municipality are Casale, Mezzano ...

, Motteggiana,

Pomponesco Pomponesco ( Casalasco-Viadanese: ) is a ''comune'' in the Italian Province of Mantua. As of 2007, the estimated population of Pomponesco was 1,770. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy"). The experiment ...

Sabbioneta Sabbioneta () is a town and in the province of Mantua, Lombardy region, Northern Italy. It is situated about north of Parma, not far from the northern bank of the Po River. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages o ...

Suzzara Suzzara ( Lower Mantovano: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Mantua, in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about southeast of Milan and about south of the city of Mantua. Suzzara was given the honorary title of a city by ...

. It is the hometown of

Rugby Viadana Rugby Viadana 1970 is an Italian rugby union club based in Viadana (province of Mantua, Lombardy). The club was established in 1970, and has since won the Italian championship in 2002, and the Coppa Italia three times. They also compete in Euro ...

Physical geography

The municipal territory lies at the southwestern end of the province of

and borders three other provinces:

Cremona Cremona ( , , ; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po (river), Po river in the middle of the Po Valley. It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local city a ...

(municipality of

Parma Parma (; ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmesan, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,986 inhabitants as of 2025, ...

(municipality of

), and Reggio nell'Emilia (municipalities of

and

). The territory is completely flat and is watered by the

Po River The Po ( , ) is the longest river in Italy. It flows eastward across northern Italy, starting from the Cottian Alps. The river's length is , or if the Maira (river), Maira, a right bank tributary, is included. The headwaters of the Po are forme ...

along its entire southern border and by the

Oglio The Oglio (; or ; , ) is a left-side tributary of the river Po in Lombardy, Italy. It is long. In the hierarchy of the Po's tributaries, with its of length, it occupies the 2nd place per length (after the river Adda), while it is the 4th pe ...

River for much of its northern border. The territory of Viadana is part of the geographical area called Bassa Padana, and with its 102.50 km² area, Viadana is the largest municipality in the province of Mantua.

Geology

Viadana is located near the

Piadena Piadena (, ) is a former (municipality) in the Province of Cremona, Lombardy, Italy. On January 1, 2019 it merged with Drizzona to form Piadena Drizzona. It is approximately 30 kilometers east of Cremona; in addition to Cremona, Piadena is nea ...

anticline, which, according to some authors, was the epicenter of the violent January 3, 1117, earthquake that struck the

Po Valley The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain (, , or ) is a major geographical feature of northern Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of including its Venetian Plain, Venetic extension not actu ...

Climate

The climate in Viadana is very

humid Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation, dew, or fog to be present. Humidity depe ...

: hot and muggy in summer, cold with cold temperatures in winter.

History

The presence of man on the islands formed by the Po and its tributaries, Adda and

, has recently been confirmed by the numerous finds of artifacts attributed to the

Neolithic period The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wid ...

, dating from around the 4th millennium B.C. and now housed in the museum dedicated to its founder, Monsignor Antonio Parazzi. It is to this Viadanese man that the discovery of various archaeological sites, both from the

Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...

and the Roman period, belongs. The territory of Viadana, an integral part of the

countryside, still preserves much evidence of the ancient Roman conquest, such as the very orientation of the countryside: 14° NE/SW. Located in the diocese of Cremona and the committee of

Brescia Brescia (, ; ; or ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the region of Lombardy, in Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Lake Garda, Garda and Lake Iseo, Iseo. With a population of 199,949, it is the se ...

, it reached administrative unity in the 14th century. The Cavalcabò family, landlords of the place, whose jurisdiction had been conferred by

Emperor Frederick I Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (; ), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death in 1190. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aa ...

on July 30, 1158, issued statutes in the mid-14th century that remained in force until the early 19th century. In 1415 following the conquest of Gian Francesco Gonzaga, Viadana bound itself permanently to

except for a brief period in the 19th century thanks to the treaty signed by Pavesino Avigni. Over time there were also corrosion and floods caused by the Po and the

, which caused entire villas to disappear, until the present territorial layout, of about 102 km², was achieved, protected by mighty embankments, even recently reinforced. The rivers were also communication and trade routes that developed especially along the Po axis to

Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...

, to such an extent that Viadana was the seat of a Vice-Admiral appointed from

; not only that: an area once owned by the Del Bon family, which owned real estate and commercial and industrial activities in the lagoon city, still bears the name of Villa del Veneziano. On April 8, 1530, Charles V, in awarding Marquis Frederick II the title of Duke, granted that the eldest male son bear the title of Marquis of Viadana, elevating the territory into an autonomous marquisate, distinct from the

Duchy of Mantua The Duchy of Mantua (; ) was a duchy in Lombardy, northern Italy. Its first duke was Federico II Gonzaga, member of the House of Gonzaga that ruled Mantua since 1328. In 1531, the duchy also acquired the March of Montferrat, thanks to the marr ...

. Belonging to the main branch of the Gonzaga family, Viadana did not have a mint, maintained a certain economic autonomy, and had its own currency and special weights and measures for trading. Gonzaga rule ended on July 23, 1708, when the

Habsburg Empire The Habsburg monarchy, also known as Habsburg Empire, or Habsburg Realm (), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities (composite monarchy) that were ruled by the House of Habsburg. From the 18th century it is ...

, having declared the glorious Mantuan family forfeit, regained possession of its fiefs. Viadana until 1580 had been governed by a Podestà, appointed from Mantua, then by a Governor; these were assisted in their functions by a lieutenant, usually a Viadanese with a law degree, and by an appointed council, or Uomini di Viadana, consisting of 40 members. The marquisate was finally suppressed in 1771 and aggregated with Austrian Lombardy. And to this the municipality belonged, after the French interludes, until the Peace of Villafranca in 1859 in which it was assigned to the province of

. On July 1, 1868, it returned to

. Prominent among the relics in the sphragistics collection of the Civic Museum is a high hierarchical seal of the Knights of Altopascio, depicting St. James. Found in the area, it harkens back to medieval pilgrimages and the probable presence of an important hospice near the

, which had to be crossed in both directions for those traveling along the German road. Settlements from Greek and Roman times have survived. From medieval times there are records of a fortress area (the present "Public Gardens" and the building of the elementary schools and Technical Institute) and walls that marked the perimeter of the village, which were destroyed in 1700 and along the route of which currently runs Via Circonvallazione Fosse. Also documented within the walls is the presence of the churches of S. Maria Assunta and S. Cristoforo in Castello (opposite the former Verdi cinema). For example, Parmigianino took refuge here during the siege of Parma in 1521. In 2003

Dario Fo Dario Luigi Angelo Fo (; 24 March 1926 – 13 October 2016) was an Italian playwright, actor, theatre director, stage designer, songwriter, political campaigner for the Italian left wing and the recipient of the 1997 Nobel Prize in Literature. ...

is in Viadana with eclectic artist Marco Cagnolati, at MuVi, in the "Patashow" gags, in which they wore each other's hats. Also at MuVi is an exhibition dedicated to Dario Fo, "Puppets with Anger and Feeling," in which he exhibits his paintings and sketches. It became quite famous in Europe in the 2000s thanks to the town's 15-a-side rugby team, Viadana, which participates annually in European competitions in addition to winning the Scudetto in 2002 and six Italian Cups and Trophies Eccellenza. From 2010 to 2012, it found itself even more at the center of the national and international scene, thanks to the birth of the

Aironi Aironi Rugby (, "herons") was an Italian professional rugby union team competing in the Pro12 and the Heineken Cup, representing the Italian regions of Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. It lost its status as a regional side at the end of the 2011–12 ...

franchise, based right in the city of Viadana. Together with Benetton, they are the only two Italian rugby teams to represent the country in the prestigious professional

Celtic League The Celtic League is a pan-Celtic organization, founded in 1961, that aims to promote modern Celtic identity and culture in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall and the Isle of Man – referred to as the Celtic nations; it places pa ...

, a competition previously reserved exclusively for clubs from

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

, Ireland and

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

. However, the experience is short-lived; after only two sporting seasons, on April 6, 2012, the FIR decides to revoke the license at the end of the current season for economic reasons.

Symbols

The coat of arms was recognized by decree of the head of government dated June 2, 1934.[8 "Of green, to the lion of gold, seated on a cushion of red, and holding with its front branches a double lily. Outward ornaments from City." The gonfalon was granted by royal decree on February 22, 1940, and consists of a yellow banner. The civic flag, granted by Presidential Decree of July 15, 2004,is a drape of green, charged centrally with the golden lion, seated on a cushion of red, grasping with its front paws the two golden lilies, placed in pole, united, the lower one upside down; the part at the pole charged by the pole, interspersed in pole, of green, red, yellow.

Monuments and places of interest

Religious architectures

In the town of Viadana: * Chiesa arcipretale di Santa Maria Assunta e San Cristoforo in Castello, on piazza Gramsci. * Chiesa di San Pietro Apostolo, on via Aroldi. * Chiesa di San Rocco e San Sebastiano, già Oratorio dei Confratelli Neri del SS. Crocifisso, on via San Rocco. * Chiesa di San Martino e San Nicola, on via Cavour. * Chiesa di Santa Maria Annunziata, on piazza Solferino. In municipal hamlets: * Chiesa di Santa Giulia, in the hamlet of Cicognara. * Chiesa dei SS. Filippo e Giacomo Apostoli, in the hamlet of Cogozzo. * Chiesa del Santo Spirito, in the hamlet of Buzzoleto. * Basilica insigne dei SS. Stefano e Anna, in the hamlet of Cavallara. * Chiesa di San Giacomo Maggiore, in the hamlet of Cizzolo. * Chiesa di San Antonino Abate, in the hamlet of Salina. * Chiesa di San Ignazio Martire, in the hamlet of Casaletto. * Chiesa di San Matto Apostolo, in the hamlet of San Matteo delle Chiaviche. * Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena, in the hamlet of Bellaguarda. * Chiesa di San Lodovico Re e Confessore, in the hamlet of Sabbioni. * Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista, in the hamlet of Banzuolo.

Civil architectures

* Palazzo del Municipio, historically Palazzo della Ragione, built in 1502. * Arco Avigni o di Porta Nuova, built in 1826. * Cinema Teatro Vittoria, on piazza Gramsci.

Culture

Mu.Vi. is the name of the Multipurpose Cultural Center in Viadana that hosts cultural and recreational activities, exhibitions, and events. The acronym stands for Musei Viadana. The center currently houses the ''Civic Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, the Permanente, the Fratelli Azzolini'' photography club, and the ''Luigi Parazzi'' municipal library, which is a member of the Sistema bibliotecario Ovest Mantovano. In addition, every month, it is possible to attend meetings of the Viadana Reading Group (Letto e Mangiato) with the background of books from the Municipal Library. The Mu.Vi. is on Via Manzoni, in the building of the former elementary school.

Anthropological geography

The municipality of Viadana consists of several hamlets, including Cogozzo, Cicognara, Cizzolo, and San Matteo delle Chiaviche. The municipality is about 40 km from

, 25 km from

, 30 km from Reggio Emilia, and 50 km from

Fractions

Cizzolo

Cizzolo (in dialect Sisöl) located in the northern part of the municipality. With its 800 inhabitants, it is the third most populous hamlet in the municipality of Viadana. Places of interest are the church of San Giacomo Maggiore Apostolo and the castle owned by the Frati family.

Cogozzo

Cogozzo (in dialect Cugos) located next to Cicognara is one of the most industrialized hamlets of Viadana. It is also highly developed in agriculture, but sometimes the product is ruined because of nutria.

Cicognara

Cicognara (in dialect, Sigugnéra), the westernmost hamlet of the Viadanese territory (bordering the territory of the municipality of

) and the second in order of inhabitants after Cogozzo, has become famous for the great entrepreneurial spirit that has made it a major industrial reality, being able to count on several dozen small and medium-sized companies that provide employment for many people in the Oglio-Po district. The main activity of these small and medium-sized companies is the production of paintbrushes. In particular, as early as the mid-19th century, from the production of sorghum brooms (a trade that has practically disappeared locally today) to the production of brushes, taking advantage of the raw material used at the time, the bristles of pigs conspicuously bred in the Viadanese area. After the middle of the last century, Cicognara established itself as the main brush-making district. The symbol of the town is a stork on a strip of land representing the Insula Cicunaria, an island on which the settlement arose and which was separated from the mainland by continuous flooding and the irregular course of the

, unlike what it looks like today. There is also a motto in Latin, ''Cicognara et Cogozzo essenti'' (usually accompanied by the stork emblem), which derives from the tax exemption granted to Cicognara (and Cogozzo precisely) from the time of Desiderio and maintained until the 18th century (Desiderio, born in

, was king of the Lombards and king of Italy from 757 to 774). The patron saint of the village is Santa Giulia, to whom the parish church is dedicated; Don Primo Mazzolari was pastor from 1921 to 1932 and parishioner Grazia Deledda was married in 1900 to Rag. Palmiro Medesani from Cicognaro. Three valuable stained glass windows (the Nativity, the Holy Family, and St. Giulia) by Cremonese painter Giuseppe Moroni can be admired in the church. Also in the church was a Roman-era cippus datable to around 150 AD, while near the church stood the Monastery of St. Julia, founded in 758 by Ansa, Desiderio's wife.

San Matteo delle Chiaviche

San Matteo delle Chiaviche is located at the confluence of the Po and

rivers. The Torre d'Oglio boat bridge, which crosses the Oglio River at its confluence with the Po, is famous. It is the fourth-most populated hamlet of Viadana and is about 15 km from Viadana.

Buzzoletto

Buzzoletto is located about 3 kilometers from the capital city. Once a purely agricultural center, it knows insawearly years of the 21st century a significant residential building expansion. The town is divided between the area of the "center" and the area of Via Codisotto, formerly Baruffaldi.

Economy

An agricultural center rich in pig breeding, Viadana, similar to the other small towns of the

, underwent a rapid conversion to an industrial hub during the

post-World War II The aftermath of World War II saw the rise of two global superpowers, the United States (U.S.) and the Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.). The aftermath of World War II was also defined by the rising threat of nuclear warfare, the creation and implementati ...

period, which marked an economic and demographic expansion of the town. Activities revolve around the textile industry, the wood panel manufacturing industry, and in the past, lso the brush industry. Other types of industries include meat processing and construction.

Infrastructure and transportation

Historically accessible by river, thanks to its proximity to the Po, Viadana is located along State Road 358; Provincial Road 59 branches off from it at that location. The town is served by the Brescello-Viadana station, located on the

Emilia-Romagna Emilia-Romagna (, , both , ; or ; ) is an Regions of Italy, administrative region of northern Italy, comprising the historical regions of Emilia (region), Emilia and Romagna. Its capital is Bologna. It has an area of , and a population of 4.4 m ...

side of the river along the Parma-Suzzara railroad, operated by FER and served by regional trains run by Tper under the service contract signed with the Emilia-Romagna Region. Between 1886 and 1933 Viadana served as the southern terminus of another rail link, the Mantua-Viadana tramway, operated by the Valentini and Mazzorin company and, since 1903 directly by the provincial administration.Mario Albertini, Claudio Cerioli, ''Trasporti nella Provincia di Cremona – 100 anni di storia'', Editrice Turris, Cremona, 1987, pp. 125–133 There is also transportation by public Lili, operated by APAM Spa, connecting Viadana with the various towns in the Mantua area and the capital city of Mantua.

Sports

Football

Unione Calcistica Viadana S.S.D. S.r.l. is the soccer team of the town of Viadana, currently playing in the First Category league, the fourth amateur and seventh level of the Italian soccer league.

Rugby

1970 S.r.l. S.S.D. is the rugby club of the town of Viadana, Italian champion 2001–2002. Founded in 1970, it has been one of the leading formations on the national rugby scene in the 2000s. Currently, it plays in the Italian top division championship and holds its home matches at Luigi Zaffanella Stadium.

Basketball

A.S.D. Basket Viadana is the men's basketball team of the town of Viadana. Founded in 1964, it currently plays in the national Serie C, the fourth level of the Italian basketball league.

Other sports societies

* A.S.D. Viadana Volley * A.S.D. Ginnastica Artistica Longoni Viadana * A.S.D. Karate Viadana * A.S.D. Viadana Nuoto Libertas * Associazione Tennis Viadana * A.S.D. Warriors Viadana – Wheelchair Hockey

Twin towns

Cutro Cutro ( Calabrian: ; Greek: ''Kytèrion'') is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Crotone, Calabria region, Italy. It holds the name "City of chess". It is also the birthplace of Vincenzo Iaquinta, a World Cup-winning footballer who playe ...

, Italy * Kleszczów, Poland, since 2006 *

Alba Iulia Alba Iulia (; or ''Carlsburg'', formerly ''Weißenburg''; ; ) is a city that serves as the seat of Alba County in the west-central part of Romania. Located on the river Mureș (river), Mureș in the historical region of Transylvania, it has a ...

, Romania, since 2006

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Viadana (Mn) Cities and towns in Lombardy