Sondrio - Sondrio

Sondrio
Panorama of Sondrio
Coat of arms
Sondrio - Coat of arms
SalutationSundri
StateItaly
RegionLombardy
TerritorySondriese Valtellina
Altitude307 m a.s.l.
Surface20.88 km²
Inhabitants22.043 (2014 census)
Prefix tel 39 0342
POSTAL CODE23100
Time zone UTC 1
PatronSaints Gervasio and Protasio
Position
Map of Italy
Reddot.svg
Sondrio
Institutional website

Sondrio is a city of Lombardy.

To know

Sondrio is a city linked above all to the mountain territory: located in the center of Valtellina and at the head of an area of ​​which almost all is made up of mountains, the main attractions are the renowned alpine resorts dedicated to summer and winter mountain tourism. This does not mean that there are several historical and artistic testimonies in the capital: in particular the collegiate, of medieval origin but rebuilt in the classicist style in the eighteenth century, the coeval Ligariana Tower and the Palazzo Pretorio, from the sixteenth century even if extensively remodeled and partially rebuilt in the modern era.

With a municipal area of ​​approximately 20 km², it is the least extensive of the 117 provincial capitals in Italy.

Geographical notes

It rises in the middle Valtellina at the confluence of the stream Mallero with the river Adda, at the gates of the Valmalenco, under the Corna Mara massif.

When to go

The climate of the city, like the rest of the valley floor, is continental, with cold winters and mild summers.

The best times to go to Sondrio are in winter and summer. In the winter, the ski season is open in the nearby Alpine valleys, while the event is organized in the summer Sondrio is Summer. This event, which is organized every Thursday evening from late June to early August, includes musical events and tasting of typical products.

Background

The city of Sondrio had Lombard origins, although prehistoric and Roman remains have been found in its territory. Its oldest name is Sondrium which means "land worked directly by the owner".

During the barbarian invasions and even later it was a place of refuge for fugitives, especially from the Po Valley, who brought new and more perfected technical knowledge for the cultivation of the land and for the processing of wood, wool, stones and metals. Soon a castle was built from which a feudal lord, in the name of the bishop of Como, dominated the whole parish, which included almost the whole Valmalenco and some neighboring lands even beyond the Adda.

In 1040 Henry III of Franconia granted the Sondriese parish to the Capitanei family originally from Vizzola and in this period the castle of S. Giorgio (now the monastery of S. Lorenzo) and the castel Masegra were built, which in 1436 passed to the Beccaria family and later to the Salis family. In 1335 Sondrio fell together with Como and the whole Valtellina in the hands of the Visconti and in 1450 it submitted to the Sforza.

In 1512, after a decade of French rule, Valtellina became a subject of the Grisons, who moved the seat of government from Tresivio to Sondrio.

On 19 June 1797 the General Council of Valle decided to break away from the Grisons and ask Bonaparte to be able to join the Cisalpine Republic. On June 22 of the same year there was the official annexation, and the village became the capital of the Department of Adda and Oglio and subsequently at the end of the Austrian domination (June 1800) it became the seat of a vice-prefecture of the Department of Lario.

With the passage to Austrian domination, which took place in 1814, Sondrio was placed at the head of the province of the same name and on 31 October 1839, following the decree of Emperor Ferdinand I, the village rose to the rank of royal city. During this period there was a significant demographic increase, which led to a development of the town, especially towards the south, with which the current Piazza Garibaldi was built.

In 1838 Cariplo began its activity in the capital, in 1864 the Male Workers' Society was founded, followed by the female one, and in 1861 the first provincial newspaper appeared, "La Valtellina". In 1870 the Valtellinese Enological Society was founded and in 1871 the Banca Popolare di Sondrio.

An important event of the century was the inauguration of the Colico-Sondrio railway line, on June 16, 1885, which opened the province to trade, tourism and cultural exchanges. In 1895 he opened the Cotonificio Spelti, Keller & C., which employed many women. In 1908 the Banca Piccolo Credito Valtellinese was founded.

The First World War also weighed on Sondrio and the church of S. Rocco was used as a military hospital. Despite the considerable difficulties it faced, the city was still able to develop. Following the flood of 1927, numerous buildings were rebuilt, such as the Palazzo della Provincia (designed by Giovanni Muzio) and the war memorial with the adjoining sports field.

After 1945 the city developed rapidly, especially on the outskirts with the construction of new neighborhoods. The historic center, modest but significant, has suffered numerous damages in this period, even if a significant recovery action is still underway.

How to orient yourself

The main landmarks of Sondrio are the SS38 state road and the Adda river, which lap the town to the south. Sondrio is crossed by Viale Stadio (which originates in the west, from the SS38 state road). The road axis that initially takes the name of viale Stadio then runs through the town from west to east taking the name of via Adua, via Mazzini, via Sauro and via Stelvio. East of Sondrio, the Mallero stream passes under Via Adua.


How to get

By plane

Sondrio does not have airports but is about 170 km from Milan-Malpensa, which is the second Italian hub after Rome Fiumicino, and about 120 km from Orio al Serio.

By car

State and provincial roads

Highways

Sondrio is not served by the Italian motorway network.

On boat

It is not possible to reach Sondrio through waterways.

On the train

  • 1 Sondrio station. opened in 1885, it is placed on the line Tirano-Lecco and is served by regional trains only. Sondrio station on Wikipedia Sondrio station (Q727305) on Wikidata 

By bus

The public transport service that connects Sondrio and the other municipalities is managed by the company STPS. There are 38 extra-urban lines that cross the municipalities near Sondrio:


How to get around

By public transport

The public transport system that serves Sondrio is managed by the company Gianolini Servizi e Trasporti srl. 6 urban lines are active in the municipal area:

  • Blue Line
  • Red line
  • Green Line
  • Blue Line
  • Yellow Line
  • Gray Line


What see

Masegra Castle
  • 1 Collegiate church of Saints Gervasio and Protasio, Via Maurizio Quadrio, 4. It is one of the oldest in Valtellina. He was the head of a large church and was already a collegiate church in the 12th century. It was remodeled and enlarged several times until in the eighteenth century it was demolished to rebuild a very large one based on a design by Pietro Ligari. The first works took place after 1727 and already in 1733 Ligari presented the drawings of the six side altars whose execution was entrusted to Carlo Gerolamo Buzzi in two stages in 1733 and 1737. Church of Santi Gervasio e Protasio (Sondrio) on Wikipedia collegiate church of Santi Gervasio e Protasio (Q3668027) on Wikidata 
  • 2 Masegra Castle, Via dè Capitani of Masegra. It is the only one of the three city castles that survived the dismantling of all the Valtellina fortifications ordered by the Grisons in 1639; this is due to the fact that it was the residence of the powerful Graubünden family of Salis at the time. The castle has a medieval foundation, which is still testified today by the two towers located to the north east and north west. Masegra Castle on Wikipedia Masegra Castle (Q3662109) on Wikidata 
  • 3 Palazzo Pretorio, Piazza Campello 1. The Palazzo Pretorio, or della Ragione, today the seat of the municipality of Sondrio, has undergone numerous changes over the centuries. Already owned by the Peregrini family, it was purchased in 1552 by the Valle Council (representative body of the three Terzieri in which the Valtellina was divided at the time) to become the seat of the Grigione government in Valtellina. Between 1552 and 1594, as can be seen from various documents preserved in the municipal historical archive, the building was enlarged and adapted to the needs of the new rulers of Valtellina, as the building was to house, in addition to the residence of the Governor and the Vicar, also the Provincial Court, prisons, military and bureaucratic buildings. 
  • 4 Sassi De 'Lavizzari Palace, via Maurizio Quadrio 27. It dates back to the 17th century and is based there on Valtellinese Museum of History and Art. 
  • 5 Ligariana Tower, Campello square. It dates back to the 17th century and is based there on Valtellinese Museum of History and Art. 


Events and parties

  • Sondrio is Summer. It is an event organized every Thursday evening in the center of Sondrio from the end of June to the beginning of August which includes musical events and tasting of typical products. 


What to do


Shopping

The streets of the historic center are home to numerous shops and several bars.

How to have fun

Night clubs

  • 1 The Geko Pub Pizzeria, Along Mallero Cadorna 12, ☎ 39 0342 200520. Drinks and live music 


Where to eat

Average prices


Where stay

Moderate prices

Average prices

High prices


Safety

Up turnifarmacie.it you can view the days and opening hours of the city's pharmacies.

How to keep in touch

Post office


Around

Val Venina, which is part of the Orobie Valtellinesi Park

The Park of the Orobie Valtellinesiinstitutional site. It is a regional park in Lombardy, established in 1989, located south of Sondrio. With an area of ​​about 46,000 hectares, the park includes the Valtellina part of the Orobie chain, whose peaks vary between 2000 m and 3000 m above sea level. It includes the portion of the Orobie Alps located on the southern side of the Valtellina, and is divided into several tributary valleys that flow from the south to the north towards the Valtellina. Inside the park live several groups of chamois, ibex, mouflons and marmots. There are also squirrels, weasels and other varieties of mammals. Among the oviparous that can be met there are Picchi, Civette, Eagles (towards the Val Venina), crows and grouse, represented among other things in the emblem of the park.

Near Sondrio is the municipality of Castione Andevenno. In the mall Hyperal and just outside the center you can find two restaurant chain restaurants: a McDonald's it's a Roadhouse.

Itineraries

Image of the park, from the Braulio valley
  • The Stelvio National Parkinstitutional site. It is located 60 km from Sondrio. established in 1935, it is one of the oldest Italian natural parks. It was created with the aim of protecting the flora, fauna and beauty of the landscape of the Ortles-Cevedale mountain group, and to promote the development of sustainable tourism in the Alpine valleys of Lombardy, Trentino and Alto Adige. It extends over the territory of 24 municipalities and 4 provinces and is in direct contact to the north with the Swiss National Park, to the south with the Adamello-Brenta provincial natural park and the Adamello regional park: all these parks, together, constitute a vast protected area in the heart of the Alps, covering almost 400,000 hectares. The park includes a wide variety of morphology and ecosystems, with large differences in height (from 650 m a.s.l. to 3900 m a.s.l. of the glacier peaks). You can therefore find deer, chamois, roe deer, ibex, marmots, foxes, stoats, squirrels, hares, and even badgers and weasels. There have been sightings of wolves, lynxes and even bears, coming from the nearby Provincial Park of Adamello-Brenta. Numerous species of birds nest in the park area: ptarmigan, rock partridge, coral chough, imperial crow, jackdaw, woodpecker, black grouse, mountain francolin, buzzard, sparrow hawk, owl, l golden eagle and, thanks to a successful and valuable reintroduction project, the bearded vulture. Many animals find refuge there and it is also thanks to the natural park that some endangered species are protected and cared for.
  • Sondrio is part of the Road of Wine and Flavors of Valtellina, a route of food and wine tourism promotion, about 200 kilometers long and recognized by the Lombardy Region, which winds through the Sondriese Valtellina on a territory of 78 municipalities, including: Montespluga, Madesimo, Chiavenna, Colico, Lecco, Morbegno, Ardenno, Postalesio, Church in Valmalenco, Teglio, Aprica, Tirano, Grosio, Bormio is Livigno.
  • Foliage in Lombardy - In search, in autumn, of the dazzling and spectacular phenomenon of "foliage".


Other projects

  • Collaborate on WikipediaWikipedia contains an entry concerning Sondrio
  • Collaborate on CommonsCommons contains images or other files on Sondrio
  • Collaborate on WikinewsWikinews contains current news on Sondrio
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