Val Camonica - Galleria delle carte geografiche - Musei Vaticani (Foto Luca Giarelli)

Rosa camuna e antropomorfi R24 - Foppe - Nadro (Foto Luca Giarelli)

Anfiteatro romano - Cividate Camuno (Foto Luca Giarelli)

Portale - Pieve di San Siro - Cemmo (Foto Luca Giarelli)

Torre Maggiore o Canevali - Castello di Breno (Foto Luca Giarelli)

Volta della cappella con decollazione di S Giovanni e S

Val Camonica (also ''Valcamonica'' or Camonica Valley,

Eastern Lombard Eastern Lombard is a group of closely related variants of Lombard, a Gallo-Italic dialect spoken in Lombardy, mainly in the provinces of Bergamo, Brescia and Mantua, in the area around Cremona and in parts of Trentino. Its main variants are Be ...

: ''Al Camònega'') is one of the largest valleys of the central

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Swi ...

, in eastern Lombardy,

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

. It extends about from the

Tonale Pass Tonale Pass ( it, Passo del Tonale) (el. 1883 m./6178 ft.) is a high mountain pass in northern Italy across the Rhaetian Alps, between Lombardy and Trentino. It connects Valcamonica and Val di Sole. It is delimited by the Ortl ...

to Corna Trentapassi, in the commune of

Pisogne Pisogne ( Camunian: ) is a ''comune'' of 8156 inhabitants in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, Italy. Geography Pisogne is situated at the northern-east tip of Lake Iseo, where the river Oglio flows into the lake. It is the lowermost commune ...

near

Lake Iseo Lake Iseo or Iseo lake ( ; it, Lago d'Iseo ; lmo, Lach d'Izé, label=Eastern Lombard), also known as Sebino (; la, Sebinus), is the fourth largest lake in Lombardy, Italy, fed by the Oglio River. It is in the north of the country in the Val ...

. It has an area of about Area of the municipalities, excluding Val di Scalve and 118,323 inhabitants.Sum of

ISTAT The Italian National Institute of Statistics ( it, Istituto nazionale di statistica; Istat) is the main producer of official statistics in Italy. Its activities include the census of population, economic censuses and a number of social, economic ...

data of communes at 31 December 2007 The River

Oglio The Oglio (; Latin ''Ollius'', or ''Olius''; Lombard ''Òi''; Cremonese ''Ùi'') is a left-side tributary of the river Po in Lombardy, Italy. It is long. In the hierarchy of the Po's tributaries, with its of length, it occupies the 2nd pla ...

runs through its full length, rising at

Ponte di Legno Ponte di Legno ( Camunian: ) is an Italian ''comune'' of 1,729 inhabitants in Val Camonica, province of Brescia, in Lombardy. Geography Situated at the confluence of the two source rivers of the Oglio, Ponte di Legno is the uppermost comune of V ...

and flowing into Lake Iseo between Pisogne and

Costa Volpino Costa Volpino (Bergamasque: ) is a ''comune'' in the province of Bergamo, in Lombardy, Italy. Situated at the end of Valle Camonica, where the Oglio river enters the Lake Iseo, it is bounded by other communes of Lovere and Rogno Rogno ( Camuno ...

. Almost all of the valley is included in the administrative territory of the

province of Brescia The Province of Brescia ( it, provincia di Brescia; Brescian: ) is a Province in the Lombardy administrative region of northern Italy. It has a population of some 1,265,964 (as of January 2019) and its capital is the city of Brescia. With an ar ...

, except for

Lovere Lovere (Bergamasque: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Bergamo, in Lombardy, northern Italy, at the northwest end of Lake Iseo. The houses in the city have overhanging wooden roofs, typical of Switzerland, combined with the heavy s ...

Rogno Rogno ( Camuno Lombard: ; Bergamasque: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Bergamo in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about northeast of Milan and about northeast of Bergamo, in the Val Camonica. Rogno borders the follo ...

, Costa Volpino and the Val di Scalve, which belong to the province of Bergamo. Since 1979, the rock drawings located along the valley are a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

, while the entire valley became a UNESCO

World Biosphere Reserve The UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) covers internationally designated protected areas, known as biosphere reserves, which are meant to demonstrate a balanced relationship between people and nature (e.g. encourage sustainable de ...

in 2018.

Etymology

''Val Camonica'' is derived from the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

''Vallis Camunnorum'', "Valley of the

Camunni The Camuni or Camunni were an ancient population located in Val Camonica during the Iron Age (1st millennium BC); the Latin name ''Camunni'' was attributed to them by the authors of the 1st century. They are also called ancient Camuni, to disti ...

Geography

Territory

Val Camonica can be divided into three main areas: # ''Lower Val Camonica'': a flat area of meadows and fields, starting from the shores of

and extending to the transverse ridge of

Bienno Bienno ( Camunian: ) is an Italian ''comune'' in Val Camonica, province of Brescia, Lombardy, classed as one of the five most beautiful villages of Italy by the Council of Tourism of the Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI). Geography ...

, sometimes referred to as the Breno Threshold. # ''Middle Val Camonica'': extending from the Breno Threshold to the municipality of Sonico

Edolo Edolo ( Camunian: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Brescia, Lombardy, northern Italy, located in the upper Camonica valley. Edolo is neighbour to the comuni of Corteno Golgi, Incudine, Lovero, Malonno, Monno, Ponte di Legno, Savior ...

. The ''lower middle valley'' extends from Breno to Sellero, while the ''upper middle valley'' starts at the narrow gorge at

Cedegolo Cedegolo ( Camunian: ) is an Italian ''comune'' of 1,258 inhabitants in Val Camonica, province of Brescia, in Lombardy, northern Italy. Geography The village of Cedegolo is located in a narrow gorge formed by Oglio river, on its eastern side. I ...

and extends to Sonico Edolo. # ''High Val Camonica'': This part of the valley follows the

Periadriatic Seam The Periadriatic Seam (or fault) is a distinct geologic fault in Southern Europe, running ''S-shaped'' about from the Tyrrhenian Sea through the whole Southern Alps as far as Hungary. It forms the division between the Adriatic plate and the Eur ...

, and is oriented from east to west. Starting in the Val di Corteno, it continues as to the town of

at the top of the valley. Its climate is similar to that of central Valtellina. The valley is bounded by these borders:

Hydrography

Val Camonica is traversed by the River

, the fifth longest river in Italy, which rises at

from the confluence of the Frigidolfo and Narcanello rivers. It flows into

between the municipalities of

and

. Numerous streams, some of them seasonal, descend from the mountainsides and flow into the Oglio. At high altitude there are many alpine lakes, including Lago Moro, as well as many artificial reservoirs, such as the Lago d'Arno.

History

Val Camonica likely became habitable only around 15,000 years ago, at the end of last ice age, with the melting of the

glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such as ...

that first carved out the valley. It is likely that the first humans visited the valley in epipaleolithic times, and appear to have settled by the

Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several p ...

period. When the

Ancient Romans In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 ...

extended their dominions north of the

River Po The Po ( , ; la, Padus or ; Ancient Ligurian: or ) is the longest river in Italy. It flows eastward across northern Italy starting from the Cottian Alps. The river's length is either or , if the Maira, a right bank tributary, is included. Th ...

, they encountered a people called the

, who were a Rhaetian tribe, populating the valley. About 300,000 petroglyphs survive from this period. By the end of the first century BC, the Valle Camonica was ruled by

Ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 BC ...

, which established the city of

Cividate Camuno Cividate Camuno ( Camunian: ) is an Italian ''comune'' of 2,774 inhabitants (2011), in Val Camonica, province of Brescia The Province of Brescia ( it, provincia di Brescia; Brescian: ) is a Province in the Lombardy administrative region of nor ...

, with baths, an amphitheater and a large temple dedicated to

Minerva Minerva (; ett, Menrva) is the Roman goddess of wisdom, justice, law, victory, and the sponsor of arts, trade, and strategy. Minerva is not a patron of violence such as Mars, but of strategic war. From the second century BC onward, the Rom ...

. During the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

, numerous clashes between the Guelphs and Ghibellines took place in this region. The Guelphs supported the power of the Bishop of Brescia and the papacy, while the Ghibellines sided with the Holy Roman Emperor. In 1287 the Val Camonica rebelled against control by

Brescia Brescia (, locally ; lmo, link=no, label= Lombard, Brèsa ; lat, Brixia; vec, Bressa) is a city and ''comune'' in the region of Lombardy, Northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Garda and Iseo ...

and sided with 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 ...

, lords 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 h ...

, who extended their control over the area during the 14th century. From 1427 to 1454 there were numerous battles between the Duchy of Milan and the

Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...

for the control of the valley. Ultimately the valley came under the control of Venice. During the following centuries, the civilian population grew and engaged in the iron trade. Val Camonica was separated from Venice after Venice was conquered by

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

in 1797. After the deposition of Napoleon, the area was controlled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1859, Val Camonica was annexed to the

Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy ( it, Regno d'Italia) was a state that existed from 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia was proclaimed King of Italy, until 1946, when civil discontent led to an institutional referendum to abandon the monarchy and f ...

. During World War I battle lines stretched along its eastern border, across the Adamello Group. The battles fought in this area are known as the White War in the Adamello. In 1955, the National Park of Naquane stone carvings at

Capo di Ponte Capo di Ponte ( Camunian: ) is an Italian comune in Val Camonica, province of Brescia, in Lombardy. Located above sea level, Capo di Ponte (en. "Head of Bridge") owes its name to an ancient settlement to the west of a bridge over the River Ogl ...

was created by the Archaeological Administration of Lombardy.

Monuments and places of interest

UNESCO Site

Val Camonica is home to the greatest complex of rock drawings in

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

, containing approximately 300,000 petroglyphs from the epipaleolithic era to the

middle ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

. * Parco nazionale delle incisioni rupestri di Naquane in

* Parco archeologico nazionale dei massi di Cemmo * Parco archeologico comunale di Seradina-Bedolina in Capo di Ponte * Parco archeologico di Asinino-Anvòia in Ossimo * Parco archeologico comunale di Luine in

Darfo Boario Terme Darfo Boario Terme ( Camunian: ) is a ''comune'' in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, northern Italy. The name combines Darfo, the ''capoluogo'', with Boario Terme, the largest ''frazione''. It is bounded by the communes of Angolo Terme, ...

* Parco archeologico comunale di Sellero * Parco archeologico comunale di Sonico * Riserva naturale Incisioni rupestri di Ceto, Cimbergo e Paspardo in Nadro Camonica was the first site in Italy included in UNESCO’s

World Heritage list A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

in 1979 because of its unique symbols and more than 140,000 figures carved along 8,000 years on rocks.

Medieval villages

, recognised as one of the ''Most Beautiful Villages of Italy'' *

, also recognised as one of the ''Most Beautiful Villages of Italy'' * Pescarzo (Capo di Ponte), a characteristic small town.

Castles

* Castle of Breno, the largest castle in Val Camonica * Castle of Gorzone, home of the Federici family, standing on a small hill next to the

Dezzo The Dezzo Lozio Lozio ( Camunian: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy (man), (woman) lmo, lumbard, links=no (man), (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demo ...

Massacre occurred * Castle of Mù, the Federici bastion in the upper valley, of which only the foundations remain

Roman city

* Theatre and Amphitheater at

* Temple of Minerva at Breno

Mountain excursions

* CAI paths in the Parco dell'Adamello * First World War (so-called "Guerra Bianca in Adamello") trench at Vezza d'Oglio

Roman Baths

* Boario Terme *

Angolo Terme Angolo Terme (''Angól'' in Camunian dialect) is a ''comune'' in Val Camonica, province of Brescia, in Lombardy, Italy. It lies on the right bank of the river Dezzo, in the lower Valle di Scalve. History Angolo was a mining center known sinc ...

Museums and theme parks

* Parco tematico ''Archeopark'',

* Museo etnografico del ferro, delle arti e tradizioni popolari,

* Museo Civico Camuno, Breno * Museo didattico di arte e vita preistorica,

* Museo didattico della riserva, Nadro * Museo archeologico di Valle Camonica,

* Mostra museo Camillo Golgi, Corteno Golgi * Museo etnografico, Ossimo * Museo parrocchiale d'arte sacra,

* Museo della Guerra Bianca in Adamello, Temù

Notable sanctuaries and churches

* Chiesa di Santa Maria della Neve in

* Chiesa di Sant'Antonio in Breno * Chiesa di Santa Maria Annunziata in

* Santuario del Cristo Re in

* Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta in

Esine Esine ( Camunian: ) is a ''comune'' in the province of Brescia, in the Italian region Lombardy, in the Camonica valley, located north of Brescia. It is bounded by other communes of Berzo Inferiore, Bovegno, Cividate Camuno, Darfo Boario Terme, ...

* Monastero di San Salvatore in

* Oratorio dei Disciplini in

Montecchio Montecchio is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Terni in the Italian region Umbria, located about 50 km south of Perugia and about 30 km northwest of Terni. Montecchio borders the following municipalities: Avigliano Umbro, ...

* Pieve di San Siro in Cemmo * Santuario della Via Crucis in

Cerveno Cerveno ( Camunian: ) is a ''comune'' of 683 inhabitants in Val Camonica, province of Brescia, Lombardy, northern Italy. The village of Cerveno is bounded by other communes of Braone, Ceto, Losine, Lozio, Malegno, Ono San Pietro, Paisco Lov ...

(

Sacri Monti The (plural of , Italian for "Sacred Mountain") of Piedmont and Lombardy are a series of nine calvaries or groups of chapels and other architectural features created in northern Italy during the late sixteenth century and the seventeenth century ...

)

Winter sports

* Winter sports Centers at

, Borno, Montecampione,

Aprica Aprica ( lmo, Abriga) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy, northern Italy. It is located on the eponymous pass, the most favourable one connecting Valtellina to Val Camonica. Its main source of income is tourism, using ...

and Val Palot

Photo gallery

Image:Monte_Concarena_-_tramonto_(Foto_Luca_Giarelli).jpg, Concarena Image:Panorama Valle Adamè - Saviore dell'Adamello (Foto Luca Giarelli).jpg, Valle Adamé Image:Monte Pizzo Badile - Val Camonica.jpg, Pizzo Badile Camuno Image:Valle Camonica da Breno.jpg, Valle Camonica from Breno to north Image:Valcamonica da braone.jpg, Valle Camonica from

Braone Braone ( Camunian: or ) is an Italian comune of 672 inhabitants in Val Camonica, province of Brescia, in Lombardy. It is bounded by other communes of Breno, Cerveno, Ceto, Losine, Niardo. History In 1956 coins were discovered in Braone, the ...

to south Image:Panorama della Valle Camonica e Gruppo dell'Adamello da Gorzone - Darfo Boario Terme (Foto Luca Giarelli).jpg, Valle Camonica from Gorzone Image:Scena_di_duello_R6_-_Foppe_-_Nadro_(Foto_Luca_Giarelli).jpg, Petroglyph from Foppe of Nadro Image:Figura che corre - R 35 - Parco di Naquane - Capo di Ponte.jpg, Running Priest in

Notes

References

External links

Itinera in Valcamonica (EN)

Italian World Heritage Sites

National museum and archaeological park with Roman theatre and amphitheatre

EuroPreArt, European Prehistoric Art database, 50 Valcamonica rock art records
{{Authority control Archaeological sites in Italy Province of Bergamo Province of Brescia Valleys of the Alps Camonica World Heritage Sites in Italy Biosphere reserves of Italy