Lomello
Encyclopedia
Lomello is a comune
(municipality) in the Province of Pavia
in the Italian
region Lombardy
, located about 50 km southwest of Milan
and about 30 km west of Pavia
, on the right bank of the Agogna
. It gives its name to the surrounding area, the Lomellina
.
Lomello borders the following municipalities: Ferrera Erbognone
, Galliavola
, Mede, Ottobiano
, San Giorgio di Lomellina
, Semiana
, Velezzo Lomellina
, Villa Biscossi
.
(a stopping place on a road) on the way of Via Regina, the main road connecting Ticinum
(now Pavia
) with Turin along the way of the Galliae. The archeological excavations made by the Universities of Pavia and of London during the latest years, brought to light inscriptions, cemeteries of the Imperial period, as well as ruins of fortifications and an entrance door in the boundary wall. Laumellum was perhaps a pre-Roman center of the Ligures
.
During the Lombard
domination (569-774), Lomello began to know a considerable prosperity. This was the place where Queen Theodolinda, widow of Authari, married Agilulf, Duke of Turin, in 590. Queen Gundeberga, daughter of Theodolinda and wife of Arioald, after being charged with the betrayal her husband, was imprisoned in a tower in 629 and released after three years, thanks to the first "Judgement of God" ever celebrated in Italy.
In the Carolingian period, it was the place of a comitatus and in 1024 the fortress of Lomello was elected to the residence of the Palatine Counts while, in the same years, the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore was built as a mark of wealth and power. The commune
of Pavia defeated the Counts in the 1140s and captured Lomello, owning it until 1360, when Lomello underwent the domination of the Visconti
, who were followed, from 1450 to 1535, by the Sforza
. Francesco Sforza assigned the County of Lomello to the Crivellis, who held it continuously until 1760.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
(municipality) in the Province of Pavia
Province of Pavia
The Province of Pavia is a province in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. Pavia is the capital.It has an area of 2,965 km², and a total population of 493,753...
in the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
region Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
, located about 50 km southwest of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
and about 30 km west of Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
, on the right bank of the Agogna
Agogna
The Agogna is a narrow long river which runs through the Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy. It is a left side tributary of the river Po....
. It gives its name to the surrounding area, the Lomellina
Lomellina
The Lomellina is a geographical and historical area in the Pianura Padana of northern Italy, located in south-western Lombardy between the Sesia, Po and Ticino rivers....
.
Lomello borders the following municipalities: Ferrera Erbognone
Ferrera Erbognone
Ferrera Erbognone is a comune in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 45 km southwest of Milan and about 25 km southwest of Pavia...
, Galliavola
Galliavola
Galliavola is a comune in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 50 km southwest of Milan and about 30 km southwest of Pavia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 230 and an area of 8.5 km².Galliavola borders the following municipalities:...
, Mede, Ottobiano
Ottobiano
Ottobiano is a comune in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 45 km southwest of Milan and about 25 km west of Pavia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,168 and an area of 24.5 km²....
, San Giorgio di Lomellina
San Giorgio di Lomellina
San Giorgio di Lomellina is a comune in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 45 km southwest of Milan and about 30 km west of Pavia...
, Semiana
Semiana
Semiana is a comune in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 50 km southwest of Milan and about 35 km west of Pavia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 256 and an area of 9.9 km²....
, Velezzo Lomellina
Velezzo Lomellina
Velezzo Lomellina is a comune in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 50 km southwest of Milan and about 35 km west of Pavia...
, Villa Biscossi
Villa Biscossi
Villa Biscossi is a comune in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 50 km southwest of Milan and about 30 km southwest of Pavia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 74 and an area of 5.0 km².Villa Biscossi borders the following...
.
History
Laumellum was a Roman mansioMansio
In the Roman Empire, a mansio was an official stopping place on a Roman road, or via, maintained by the central government for the use of officials and those on official business whilst travelling.-Background:The roads which traversed the Ancient World, were later surveyed,...
(a stopping place on a road) on the way of Via Regina, the main road connecting Ticinum
Ticinum
Ticinum was an ancient city of Gallia Transpadana, founded on the banks of the river of the same name a little way above its confluence with the Padus ....
(now Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
) with Turin along the way of the Galliae. The archeological excavations made by the Universities of Pavia and of London during the latest years, brought to light inscriptions, cemeteries of the Imperial period, as well as ruins of fortifications and an entrance door in the boundary wall. Laumellum was perhaps a pre-Roman center of the Ligures
Ligures
The Ligures were an ancient people who gave their name to Liguria, a region of north-western Italy.-Classical sources:...
.
During the Lombard
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
domination (569-774), Lomello began to know a considerable prosperity. This was the place where Queen Theodolinda, widow of Authari, married Agilulf, Duke of Turin, in 590. Queen Gundeberga, daughter of Theodolinda and wife of Arioald, after being charged with the betrayal her husband, was imprisoned in a tower in 629 and released after three years, thanks to the first "Judgement of God" ever celebrated in Italy.
In the Carolingian period, it was the place of a comitatus and in 1024 the fortress of Lomello was elected to the residence of the Palatine Counts while, in the same years, the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore was built as a mark of wealth and power. The commune
Medieval commune
Medieval communes in the European Middle Ages had sworn allegiances of mutual defense among the citizens of a town or city. They took many forms, and varied widely in organization and makeup. Communes are first recorded in the late 11th and early 12th centuries, thereafter becoming a widespread...
of Pavia defeated the Counts in the 1140s and captured Lomello, owning it until 1360, when Lomello underwent the domination of the Visconti
House of Visconti
Visconti is the family name of two important Italian noble dynasties of the Middle Ages. There are two distinct Visconti families: The first one in the Republic of Pisa in the mid twelfth century who achieved prominence first in Pisa, then in Sardinia where they became rulers of Gallura...
, who were followed, from 1450 to 1535, by the Sforza
House of Sforza
Sforza was a ruling family of Renaissance Italy, based in Milan.-History:The dynasty was founded by Muzio Attendolo , called Sforza , a condottiero from Romagna serving the Angevin kings of Naples...
. Francesco Sforza assigned the County of Lomello to the Crivellis, who held it continuously until 1760.
Main sights
- Remains of the medieval walls
- First RomanesqueFirst RomanesqueFirst Romanesque is the name due to Josep Puig i Cadafalch to refer to the Romanesque art developed in Catalonia since the late 10th century....
Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (known from the 11th century). - Baptistery of San Giovanni ad fontes (5th-7th century), one of the few examples of Lombard architectureLombard architectureThe term Lombard achitecture refers to the architecture of the Kingdom of the Lombards in Italy, which lasted from 568 to 774 and which was commissioned by Lombard king and dukes....
in northern Italy. - Romanesque church of San Michele (12th century), in Romanesque style with the exception of the Baroque façade.
- The Castle (15th century). Situated on a hillock in the middle of the village, its origin dates back to the 11th century, when the Palatine Counts extended their domain over the whole region. Almost entirely re-built by Antonio Crivelli from 1450 on, it was completed by his successors and particularly by Alessandro who, after the death of his wife, took up the ecclesiastical career, becoming a Cardinal in 1565. He was the commissioner of the frescoes in the internai halls, which represent the Winds and the Zodiac in thee vault, the monthly labours in the lunette. In the second hall are the Paradise of Dante and some episodes from S. Catherine's life. The entrance tower with the hints of the draw-bridge and of the ditch date to the Sforza period. The castle is home to the town hall. On its first floor in the halls of the Civic Library are the remains of a mosaic once belonging to a Roman villa, representing geometrical decorations, magical symbols and the head of a Gorgon.