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Sondrio (; lmo, Sùndri; rm, Sunder; archaic german: Sünders or ; la, Sundrium) is an Italian city and ''
comune The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...
'' and Provincial Capital located in the heart of the
Valtellina Valtellina or the Valtelline (occasionally spelled as two words in English: Val Telline; rm, Vuclina (); lmo, Valtelina or ; german: Veltlin; it, Valtellina) is a valley in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, bordering Switzerland. Tod ...
. , Sondrio counts approximately 21,876 inhabitants (2015) and it is the administrative centre for the province of Sondrio. In 2007, Sondrio was given the
Alpine Town of the Year The Alpine Town of the Year award is given to towns which have made exceptional efforts for the realization of the Alpine Convention and for sustainable development. The ''Alpine Towns of the Year'' are members of the international association of ...
award.


History

Formerly an Ancient Roman military camp, today's Sondrio was founded by the
Lombards The Lombards () or Langobards ( la, Langobardi) were a Germanic people who ruled most of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774. The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written between 787 an ...
: in their language ''Sundrium'' meant "Exclusive property", referring to the status of free men (''
arimanni The arimanni (singular ''arimannus'') were a warrior class of freemen in Lombard and later Frankish Italy. In contemporary documents ''arimanni'' are sometimes denominated as ''liberi homines'' (free men) or ''exercitales'' (soldiers). The rank ...
'') of the holders of the city and the surrounding land. After the fall of the
Lombard Kingdom The Kingdom of the Lombards ( la, Regnum Langobardorum; it, Regno dei Longobardi; lmo, Regn di Lombard) also known as the Lombard Kingdom; later the Kingdom of (all) Italy ( la, Regnum totius Italiae), was an early medieval state established ...
in Italy, Sondrio became part of the
Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. From the accession of Otto I in 962 unt ...
. The Capitanei of Vizzola, who controlled much of the Valtellina, had it in 1040 from the emperor Henry II. From 1310 to 1335 the city was involved in the war between the Guelph and Ghibelline factions of the nearby
Como Como (, ; lmo, Còmm, label= Comasco , or ; lat, Novum Comum; rm, Com; french: Côme) is a city and '' comune'' in Lombardy, Italy. It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como. Its proximity to Lake Como and to the Alps ...
, and its war against
Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city ...
. After having resisted several attacks by the Comaschi, in 1335 Sondrio and Valtellina became part of the
Visconti Visconti is a surname which may refer to: Italian noble families * Visconti of Milan, ruled Milan from 1277 to 1447 ** Visconti di Modrone, collateral branch of the Visconti of Milan * Visconti of Pisa and Sardinia, ruled Gallura in Sardinia from ...
Milanese dominions. From the second half of the 16th century to the end of the 18th century, Sondrio was governed by the Tre Leghe Grigie ("Three Grey Leagues") of the Grisons, as the capital city of
Valtellina Valtellina or the Valtelline (occasionally spelled as two words in English: Val Telline; rm, Vuclina (); lmo, Valtelina or ; german: Veltlin; it, Valtellina) is a valley in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, bordering Switzerland. Tod ...
. After the
Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...
, Sondrio was the centre of heavy struggles between the Catholic Valtellinesi and the Protestant Grisons. In 1620 the citizens, led by Giacomo Robustelli, killed 180 Protestants and declared the independence of the Valtellina. After the Napoleonic parenthesis, in which it became part of the Cisalpine Republic (later
Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy ( it, Regno d'Italia) was a state that existed from 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 1946, when civil discontent led to ...
), Sondrio with the Valtellina was annexed to the Austrian Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia, and fought gallantly for its independence.


Geography

The town is located in the middle of the province, and borders with the municipalities of
Albosaggia Albosaggia is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan and about southwest of Sondrio. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 3,135 and an area of .All demogr ...
,
Caiolo Caiolo ( Lombard: ''Cajööl'') is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan and about southwest of Sondrio. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 994 and an ...
, Castione Andevenno,
Faedo Valtellino Faedo Valtellino is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan and about southeast of Sondrio. Faedo Valtellino borders the municipalities of Albosaggia, Montagna in ...
,
Montagna in Valtellina Montagna in Valtellina is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan and about northeast of Sondrio. Montagna in Valtellina borders the following municipalities: Casp ...
,
Spriana Spriana is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan and about north of Sondrio. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 101 and an area of .All demographics ...
and
Torre di Santa Maria Torre di Santa Maria ( lmo, La Tur) is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan and about north of Sondrio. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 884 and ...
. Its hamlets (''
frazioni A ''frazione'' (plural: ) is a type of subdivision of a ''comune'' (municipality) in Italy, often a small village or hamlet outside the main town. Most ''frazioni'' were created during the Fascist era (1922–1943) as a way to consolidate territ ...
'') are Arquino, Colda, Gualtieri, Ligari, Moroni, Mossini, Ponchiera, Sant'Anna, Sassella, Triangia and Triasso.


Government


Economy

The territory of Sondrio has numerous vineyards; wines produced include the Sassella and Grumello. Wine represents one of the main resources of this region, together with tourism, especially in winter. Another important piece of Sondrio's economy is its banking industry, with the
Banca Popolare di Sondrio Banca Popolare di Sondrio S.C.p.A. (BPSO) is an Italian bank based in Sondrio, Lombardy. The company was included in FTSE Italia Mid Cap Index. History Banca Popolare di Sondrio was an urban cooperative bank found in 1871. Along with Credito Valte ...
and the Credito Valtellinese both headquartered in Sondrio and listed on the Milan Stock Exchange.


Main sights

The heart of Sondrio is its central Garibaldi Square. Not far from it is the Palazzo Sassi, home of the Art and History Museum of Valtellina. In a dominant position, near the ancient road to the Valmalenco, linking the town to Switzerland, stands the Masegra Castle, housing the Historical Museum of the Grisons Domination. The church of Santi Gervasio e Protasio rebuilt in Neoclassical-style in 1838, was built in the 12th century as a Romanesque pieve and collegiate church. Other sights include the Torre Ligariana, once the collegiate's bell tower, and the Palazzo Pretorio, once the seat of the Grisons government. Across the railway in direction of
Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city ...
there is the ancient Church of Maria della Sassella, which the local tradition dates back to the 10th century. In March 2021 the Roman Catholic Diocese of Como declared the church to be a diocesan Marian sanctuary.


People

*
Giovanni Pietro Ligario Giovanni Pietro Ligario (1686–1748) was an Italian painter and architect of the late-Baroque. He was born at Ardenno province of Sondrio in the Valtelline valley, and after early training there, moved to Rome, where he frequented the studio of ...
(1686–1748), painter *
Antonio Caimi Antonio Caimi (16 April 1814 – 5 January 1878) was an Italian painter and biographer of artists, active in Milan and best known for his portraits. Biography He was born at Sondrio. He trained initially in the Accademia Carrara of Bergamo und ...
(1814–1878), painter * Enrico Sertoli (1842–1910), physiologist and histologist * Antonio Carini (1872–1950), physician, bacteriologist and professor * Primo H. Zopatti (1878-1934), entrepreneur America, Zopatti Bros., Dorchester. * Pier Luigi Nervi (1891–1979), engineer * Valerio Ricetti (1898—1952), Italian-Australian hermit *
Gianni Celati Gianni Celati (10 January 1937 – 3 January 2022) was an Italian writer, translator, and literary critic. Biography Gianni Celati was born in Sondrio, Italy, but spent his infancy and adolescence in the province of Ferrara. He graduated in E ...
(b. 1937), writer, translator and literary critic * Sophia Zopatti Lewis (b.1941), Olympic dressage hunter/jumper Rome 1960 *
Giulio Tremonti Giulio Tremonti () (born 18 August 1947) is an Italian politician. He served in the government of Italy as Minister of Economy and Finance under Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi from 1994 to 1995, from 2001 to 2004, from 2005 to 2006, and from 20 ...
(b. 1947), politician *
Benedetto Della Vedova Benedetto Della Vedova (Sondrio, 3 April 1962) is an Italian politician. A keen pro-Europeanist, Della Vedova is currently president of Forza Europa (FE) and secretary of More Europe (+EU), the latter comprising FE and the Italian Radicals. He ...
(b. 1962), politician * Raffaella "Raffy" Rossi (b. 1974), ski mountaineer and skyrunner * Luca Colombo (b. 1984), football player *
Matteo D'Alessandro Matteo D'Alessandro (born 18 May 1989) is an Italian professional footballer who plays for Serie D club Atletico Ascoli. Career Born in Sondrio, Lombardy, D'Alessandro started his career at Calcio Como. On 31 August 2006 he was signed by Genoa C ...
(b. 1989), football player * Robert Antonioli (b. 1990), ski mountaineer *
Michele Boscacci Michele Boscacci (born 4 January 1990) is an Italian ski mountaineer. Boscacci, son of Graziano Boscacci, was born in Sondalo, and started skiing when he was five years old. In 2004 he competed at his first Pierra Menta race, when he was fourtee ...
(b. 1990), ski mountaineer *
Arianna Fontana Arianna Fontana OMRI (born 14 April 1990) is an Italian short track speed skater, who has won eleven Olympic medals among these two gold medals in the 500m short track, one at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang and the second one at the 20 ...
(b. 1990), short track speed skater * Lorenzo Passerini (b. 1991), conductor


Twin towns – sister cities

Sondrio is twinned with: * Radovljica, Slovenia * São Mateus, Brazil * Sindelfingen, Germany


Sports

Sondrio Calcio is the football club of the city and currently plays in
Serie D The Serie D () is the top level of semi-professional football in the country. The fourth tier of the Italian league system, the competition sits beneath the third professional league, Serie C. It is administered by the Lega Nazionale Dilettanti ...
.


See also

* Sondrio railway station


References


External links


Official website



Sondrio weather website
{{Authority control Cities and towns in Lombardy