Berzo Inferiore

Berzo Inferiore

Bèrs
Berzo Inferiore Bèrs
Comune
	Comune di Berzo Inferiore
	Berzo Inferiore and Bienno
	Location of Berzo Inferiore
	Berzo Inferiore Location of Berzo Inferiore in Italy Berzo Inferiore Berzo Inferiore (Lombardy)
	Coordinates: 45°55′54″N 10°16′50″E / 45.93167°N 10.28056°E
Country	Italy
Region	Lombardy
Province	Brescia (BS)
Government
• Mayor	Ruggero Bontempi
Area
• Total	21 km2 (8 sq mi)
Elevation	356 m (1,168 ft)
Population (30 April 2017)
• Total	2,454
• Density	120/km2 (300/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	25040
Dialing code	0364
Patron saint	Innocenzo of Berzo, Madonna Pellegrina, St. Lawrence
Saint day	3 March, 24 September, 10 August
Website	Official website

Berzo Inferiore (Camunian: Bèrs) is an Italian comune of 2,316 inhabitants^[3] in Val Camonica, province of Brescia, in Lombardy, northern Italy.

Geography

The village of Berzo Inferiore (Inferiore means "at the bottom" to distinguish from Berzo Demo) is situated in Val Grigna, a side valley of the Oglio valley, upstream from Esine and downstream from Bienno.

History

The area has known habitation dating back to Mesolithic prehistory, as ascribed from artifacts found near Passo Crestoso. The first documentation of the town name is in a document from 1041, that mentions Bercio. Documents also cite a quarrel with the nearby town of Bovegno regarding pastoral lands. In 1350, the bishop of Brescia, Zanino Federici of Gorzone, asserted feudal rights for the territories of the Lower Berzo, Ono and Cricolo and Cerveno of Rainaldo.

In July 1404, the town of Berzo was destroyed by the Guelphs from the towns of Predore and Adrara San Rocco, which had suffered depredations and looting at the hands of townsmen of Berzo. In 1562, the priest Giacomo Pandolfi was sent by the Bishop of Brescia, Domenico Bollani, to Berzo; his mission was to urge the local authorities to censure and cease the frequent episodes of public dancing in the town.

A miraculous apparition of the Virgin Mary to Marta Polentini is said to have occurred in 1618.

In 1867, the provincial council of Brescia agreed to the union of municipalities and Bienno Berzo: this was not carried out due to popular opposition. Between 1927 and 1947, due to fascist laws on municipalities, the municipalities of Bienno Berzo were aggregated.

Main sights

The churches of Berzo Inferiore are:

Shrine of Our Lady parish church, erected at the 1609th It has a tower of 55 meters and a portal "stone of Sarnico". Inside, the altarpiece of Fiammenghino.
Church of San Lorenzo, fifteenth century church with frescoes by Giovanni Pietro da Cemmo
Church of San Glisente, is on top of the mountain the same name, retains a crypt of the sixteenth century.

Culture

The scütüm are in camunian dialect nicknames, sometimes personal, elsewhere showing the characteristic features of a community. The one which characterize the people of Berzo Inferiore is Gòs or Farisé.

People

Innocenzo da Berzo

References

^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
^ ISTAT Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
^ Dato Istat all'31/12/2008.

Sources

Panazza, Gaetano; Araldo Bertolini (1984). Arte in Val Camonica - vol 4 (in Italian). Brescia: Industrie grafiche bresciane.

External links

(in Italian) Historical photos - Intercam
(in Italian) Historical photos - Lombardia Beni Culturali

[wikidata-16139ca327c50d72c40d8c5fd3abe706b989650e-v18-1] "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.

[2] ISTAT Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine

[3] Dato Istat all'31/12/2008.

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