Bobbio

This article is about the Italian city. For the Italian philosopher and historian, see Norberto Bobbio.

Comune di Bobbio
Comune
Coat of arms
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Comune di Bobbio Location of Comune di Bobbio in Italy Comune di Bobbio Comune di Bobbio (Emilia-Romagna)
Coordinates: 44°46′N 9°23′E
Country	Italy
Region	Emilia Romagna
Province	Piacenza (PC)
Frazioni	Cassolo, Ceci, Dezza, Mezzano Scotti, Santa Maria, San Cristoforo, San Salvatore, Vaccarezza
Government
• Mayor	Roberto Pasquali (since June 13, 1999, now in his second term)
Area
• Total	106.5 km2 (41.1 sq mi)
Elevation	272 m (892 ft)
Population  (2018-01-01)
• Total	3,724
• Density	35/km2 (91/sq mi)
Demonym	Bobbiesi
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	29022
Dialing code	0523
Patron saint	St. Columbanus
Saint day	november 23
Website	www.comune.bobbio.pc.it

Bobbio is a small town and comune in the province of Piacenza in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy. It is located in the Trebbia River valley southwest of the town Piacenza. There were also an abbey and a diocese of the same name. Bobbio is the administrative center of the Comunità Montana Appennino Piacentino.

A view of Bobbio

History

Known to the ancients as Bobium or Ebovium, it underwent many settlements from the Neolithic Age up to the contemporaty one. Several archaeological finds testify to the presence of Liguri, Boi (Gauls of Celtic origin) and from the fourteenth century B.C. the Romans.

But the history of Bobbio is tied to the existance of the Abbey founded in 614 by the Irish monk Saint Columbanus (It. Colombano), who received this district from the Longobard King Agilulf.

Bobbio Abbey (see main article) increased its possessions and became one of the principal seats of culture and religion of Northen Italy and a center of learning during the Middle Ages, and was renowned for its famous Scriptorium and Library, in the 10th century there were 700 codes; but its decline in the 15th century led to the dispersal of the library. The monastery was officially suppressed by the French in 1803.

This monastery is in part the model for the great monastery in Umberto Eco's novel The Name of the Rose.

In 1014 Bobbio was erected City and Episcopal See and surrounded by city walls and form the Contea of Bobbio.

The city was in region of Liguria but in 1230 Piacenza conquered Bobbio and its dominion lasted until the 14th century when the Contea of Bobbio passed, before Malaspina government and then, under the government of the Visconti family under Ducato of Milan.

In 1387 the city passed at Dal Verme family and form the Contea of Bobbio and Voghera; in 1516 the area form the Marchesato of Bobbio.

The town became part of Savoy in 1748 after the Wars of Succession and form the Province of Bobbio.

In 1796 the French arrived in Italy and only four years later Napoleon suppressed the monastery and sold all its treasure.

From 1815 to 1859 Bobbio and its province was enclosed into the Dipartments of Genoa, then passed to Pavia and finally in 1923 to Piacenza.

On July 7, 1944, the partisan resistance in Italy conquered the town, form the Republic of Bobbio and self-governed it until it was crushed by the Germans on August 27, the same year.

The bishopric dates from 1014. On september 30 1986, the Diocese was suppressed and merged with Archdiocese of Genoa. Since 1989, Bobbio was united with Diocese of Piacenza to form the Diocese of Piacenza-Bobbio.

Main sights

• The Saint Columbanus Abbey: Open to the public the long ground floor corridor, the main cloister; the service yard; the Abbey Museum, recently restored and enlarged, collects remarkable works and art objects of Roman, Medieval and Renaissance Age, and Town Museum is a sort of didactic journey, whose admittance is from the southern wing of the cloister, the only one that guards the original portico.

The Basilica of Saint Columbanus.

• • Saint Columbanus Basilica: it was built between 1456 and 1522 on the rest of the protoromanic church of the 10ht century.

Stone arch bridge over the Trebbia river

• The Old Bridge: the 280 metre long Ponte Vecchio ("Old Bridge"), which spans the Trebbia by means of eleven unequal arches, is known to have existed before 1196 and may be of Roman origin. From its curious and irregularity shape it is commonly called the ‘Hunchback Bridge’; also the ‘Devil’s Bridge’ after many legends: the famous legend tells that it was built by the Devil in one night after he made a pact with Saint Columbanus who promised him the soul of the first passerby; but when the bridge was finished the Irish Saint sent a dog.

The other legend is in which a man tricks Satan into rebuilding it over-night after it has been destroyed by a flood. In reality the bridge did need to be reconstructed after flood damage in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

• The Malaspina-Dal Verme Castle: begun by Corradino Malaspina in 1304 on the hill overlooking the town, it remained for the duration of his rule a ghibelline stronghold. Today it remains the square-plan keep, two minor service towers and the defensive walls. By the castle affords a good view over the town and the surrounding countryside. In 1800, under the name of Castello Bobbium, the property and mark was purchased and owned by the Piccinini family of Emilia-Romagna until 1956 when the castle and land was ceded by the Piccinini to the Italian State.

• The Cathedral: built in 1075, is the main religious edifice of the city. It has two majestic towers, which are original in the lower parts. The façade is from 1463 (date in which also a portico was demolished), with three portals in Gothic style. The cathedral presents modern decoration in the three naves and an eighteenth century decoration in the presbytery and on the transept dome. Through the right transept you can reach Saint John chapel where there is a splendid fresco of the second half of the 15th century representing the Annunciation. The crypt houses the sepulchres of the bishops of Bobbio, and the chapel of Saint Antonio Maria Gianelli bishop of Bobbio.

On the right side is the Palazzo Vescovile ("Bishop's Palace", 11th century), partially renewed in 1448; there are also the garden of cathedral.

On the left side is the Bobbio historical archives: sited into the premises of the Old Seminary, founded in the mid of the 12th century, they keep precious parchements and fragments of ancient codes dated from 9th century to 15th century. Available on microfilm the reproduction of all documents referred to Bobbio.

• Saint Francis' church and Monastery: built according to the unrefined 13th century Saint Francis style. The monastery maintained the original shape while the church was rebuilt at the beginning of the 18th century in baroque style. Worth of mention is the beautiful inner cloister with squat pillars that substain four crossvault covered spans on each side and over which runs a wooden loggia with precious medieval capitals columns.

• Saint Lawrence church: built probably in the 12th century it was enlarged during the 17th century. Still visible on the left side are parts of the ancient building while on the right outer wall are two tablets also from the previous church.

• The Virgin Mary's Help Sanctuary: it encloses the remains of the 15th century church decorated with a miraculous image of the Virgin Mary. In 1611 it was said to have dripped sweat from the forehead. It was given the present baroque classical style in 1641.

Two museums are located within the abbey complex, one devoted to the abbey and one to the town. Among the exhibits is a much admired carved ivory "bucket" of the fourth century AD.

Twin cities

• - Ybbs an der Donau, Austria
• - Navan, Ireland

See also

Manuscripts written in Bobbio:

• Bobbio Jerome
• Bobbio Orosius

External links

• Bobbio homepage (in Italian)
• A brief History (in Italian) from the site of the Comunità Montana Appennino Piacentino
• Catholic Encyclopedia article on Bobbio