Trento Bondone
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Trento ( or ; Ladin and ; ; ; ; ; ), also known in English as Trent, is a city on the
Adige River The Adige is the second-longest river in Italy, after the Po. It rises near the Reschen Pass in the Vinschgau in the province of South Tyrol, near the Italian border with Austria and Switzerland, and flows through most of northeastern Italy ...
in
Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol ( ; ; ), often known in English as Trentino-South Tyrol or by its shorter Italian name Trentino-Alto Adige, is an Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region of Italy, located in the ...
in Italy. It is the capital of the
autonomous province of Trento Trentino (), officially the Autonomous Province of Trento (; ; ), is an Autonomous province#Italy, autonomous province of Italy in the Northern Italy, country's far north. Trentino and South Tyrol constitute the Regions of Italy, region of Tren ...
. In the 16th century, the city was the location of the
Council of Trent The Council of Trent (), held between 1545 and 1563 in Trent (or Trento), now in northern Italy, was the 19th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. Prompted by the Protestant Reformation at the time, it has been described as the "most ...
. Formerly part of
Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
and
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...
, it was annexed by
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
in 1919. With 118,142 inhabitants, Trento is the third largest city in the
Alps The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. ...
and second largest in the historical region of
Tyrol Tyrol ( ; historically the Tyrole; ; ) is a historical region in the Alps of Northern Italy and western Austria. The area was historically the core of the County of Tyrol, part of the Holy Roman Empire, Austrian Empire and Austria-Hungary, f ...
. Trento is an educational, scientific, financial and political centre in
Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol ( ; ; ), often known in English as Trentino-South Tyrol or by its shorter Italian name Trentino-Alto Adige, is an Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region of Italy, located in the ...
, in
Tyrol Tyrol ( ; historically the Tyrole; ; ) is a historical region in the Alps of Northern Italy and western Austria. The area was historically the core of the County of Tyrol, part of the Holy Roman Empire, Austrian Empire and Austria-Hungary, f ...
and
Northern Italy Northern Italy (, , ) is a geographical and cultural region in the northern part of Italy. The Italian National Institute of Statistics defines the region as encompassing the four Northwest Italy, northwestern Regions of Italy, regions of Piedmo ...
in general. The city contains a
picturesque Picturesque is an aesthetic ideal introduced into English cultural debate in 1782 by William Gilpin in ''Observations on the River Wye, and Several Parts of South Wales, etc. Relative Chiefly to Picturesque Beauty; made in the Summer of the Year ...
Medieval and Renaissance historic centre, with ancient buildings such as
Trento Cathedral Trento Cathedral (, ; ) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Trento, northern Italy. It is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Trento, and until 1802, was the seat of the Prince-Bishopric of Trent. It was built over a pre-existing 4th ...
and the
Castello del Buonconsiglio Buonconsiglio Castle () is a castle in Trento, northern Italy. History The castle originated from a fortified building that was erected in the 13th century next to the city's walls. This first building was called Castelvecchio (literally, 'old ...
. Together with other Alpine towns Trento engages in 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 ...
Association for the implementation of the
Alpine Convention The Alpine Convention is an international territorial treaty for the sustainable development of the Alps. The objective of the treaty is to protect the natural environment of the Alps while promoting its development. This Framework Convention invo ...
to achieve sustainable development in the Alpine Arc. Trento was awarded the title of Alpine Town of the Year 2004. The city often ranks highly among Italian cities for
quality of life Quality of life (QOL) is defined by the World Health Organization as "an individual's perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards ...
,
standard of living Standard of living is the level of income, comforts and services available to an individual, community or society. A contributing factor to an individual's quality of life, standard of living is generally concerned with objective metrics outsid ...
, and business and job opportunities, being ranked 3rd in 2023. Trento is also one of the nation's wealthiest and most prosperous cities, with its
province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
being one of the richest in Italy, with a
GDP per capita This is a list of countries by nominal GDP per capita. GDP per capita is the total value of a country's finished goods and services (gross domestic product) divided by its total population (per capita). Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita is ...
of €46,100 and a nominal
GDP Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the total market value of all the final goods and services produced and rendered in a specific time period by a country or countries. GDP is often used to measure the economic performance o ...
of €25.5 billion in 2023. The
University of Trento The University of Trento (Italian: ''Università degli Studi di Trento'') is an Italian university located in Trento and nearby Rovereto. It has been able to achieve considerable results in didactics, research, and international relations accord ...
, founded in 1962 as a Higher University Institute of Social Sciences, is one of the most prestigious medium-small Italian universities, with a strong international vocation. It ranks 1st among 'medium-sized' Universities in the ''Censis'' ranking and 2nd in the ranking of Italian universities. The School of International Studies of the University of Trento is a member of the
Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs The Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) is a non-profit educational organization of graduate schools of international affairs, with 42 members and 37 affiliates around the world as of February 2022; two members we ...
( Apsia), a selected group of institutions for higher education in the field of international relations. It is the first, and currently unique, Italian institute and one of the few Europeans present in the club of the best international study schools in the world that form policy makers. In the last twenty years, thanks to the gradual creation of various research centers (FBK, FEM) and laboratories in the IT, engineering and sciences fields, Trento and its university have been nicknamed the "Silicon Valley of the Alps".


History

The origins of this city on the river-route to
Bolzano Bolzano ( ; ; or ) is the capital city of South Tyrol (officially the province of Bolzano), Northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third largest in historical Tyrol. The ...
and the low Alpine passes of Brenner and the
Reschen Pass Reschen Pass (, ; ) is a mountain pass across the main chain of the Alps, connecting the Upper Inn Valley in the northwest with the Vinschgau region in the southeast. Since 1919, the border between South Tyrol, Italy and Tyrol, Austria has app ...
over the Alps are disputed. Some scholars maintain it was a
Rhaetia Raetia or Rhaetia ( , ) was a Roman province, province of the Roman Empire named after the Rhaetian people. It bordered on the west with the country of the Helvetii, on the east with Noricum, on the north with Vindelicia, on the south-west wit ...
n settlement: the Adige area was however influenced by neighbouring populations, including the (Adriatic) Veneti, the
Etruscans The Etruscan civilization ( ) was an ancient civilization created by the Etruscans, a people who inhabited Etruria in List of ancient peoples of Italy, ancient Italy, with a common language and culture, and formed a federation of city-states. Af ...
and the
Gaul Gaul () was a region of Western Europe first clearly described by the Roman people, Romans, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Northern Italy. It covered an area of . Ac ...
s (a
Celt The Celts ( , see Names of the Celts#Pronunciation, pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples ( ) were a collection of Indo-European languages, Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancient Indo-European people, reached the apoge ...
ic population). According to other theories, the latter instead founded the city during the 4th century BC. Trento was conquered by the
Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
in the 1st century BC, after several clashes with the Rhaetian tribes. Before the Romans, Trento was a Celtic village.
Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...
re-founded it as a Roman municipality when Rome extended citizenship to the part of
Cisalpine Gaul Cisalpine Gaul (, also called ''Gallia Citerior'' or ''Gallia Togata'') was the name given, especially during the 4th and 3rd centuries BC, to a region of land inhabited by Celts (Gauls), corresponding to what is now most of northern Italy. Afte ...
north of the
River Po The Po ( , ) is the longest river in Italy. It flows eastward across northern Italy, starting from the Cottian Alps. The river's length is , or if the Maira, a right bank tributary, is included. The headwaters of the Po are formed by a spring ...
. The Latin name given to the settlement was ''Tridentum,'' meaning "Three-tooth place" or "Trident-town" ( "three" + "tooth"). The reason for the name is uncertain: the new town may have been consecrated to the god
Neptune Neptune is the eighth and farthest known planet from the Sun. It is the List of Solar System objects by size, fourth-largest planet in the Solar System by diameter, the third-most-massive planet, and the densest giant planet. It is 17 t ...
, or possibly named after the three hills that surround the city (known in Italian as ''Doss Trento'', ''Doss di Sant'Agata'' and ''Doss di San Rocco''). The Latin name is the source of the adjective "tridentine". On the old city hall, a
Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
inscription is still visible: "''Montes argentum mihi dant nomenque Tridentum''" ("Mountains give me silver and the name of Trento"), attributed to Fra' Bartolomeo da Trento (died in 1251). Tridentum became an important stop on the
Roman road Roman roads ( ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Republic and the Roman Em ...
that led from
Verona Verona ( ; ; or ) is a city on the Adige, River Adige in Veneto, Italy, with 255,131 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region, and is the largest city Comune, municipality in the region and in Northeast Italy, nor ...
to
Innsbruck Innsbruck (; ) is the capital of Tyrol (federal state), Tyrol and the List of cities and towns in Austria, fifth-largest city in Austria. On the Inn (river), River Inn, at its junction with the Wipptal, Wipp Valley, which provides access to the ...
. After the fall of the
Western Roman Empire In modern historiography, the Western Roman Empire was the western provinces of the Roman Empire, collectively, during any period in which they were administered separately from the eastern provinces by a separate, independent imperial court. ...
, the independent bishopric of Trento was conquered by
Ostrogoths The Ostrogoths () were a Roman-era Germanic peoples, Germanic people. In the 5th century, they followed the Visigoths in creating one of the two great Goths, Gothic kingdoms within the Western Roman Empire, drawing upon the large Gothic populatio ...
, Byzantines,
Lombards The Lombards () or Longobards () were a Germanic peoples, Germanic people who conquered most of the Italian Peninsula between 568 and 774. The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written betwee ...
and
Franks file:Frankish arms.JPG, Aristocratic Frankish burial items from the Merovingian dynasty The Franks ( or ; ; ) were originally a group of Germanic peoples who lived near the Rhine river, Rhine-river military border of Germania Inferior, which wa ...
, finally becoming part of the
Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...
. In 1027, Emperor
Conrad II Conrad II (, – 4 June 1039), also known as and , was the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire from 1027 until his death in 1039. The first of a succession of four Salian emperors, who reigned for one century until 1125, Conrad ruled the kingdom ...
created the Prince-Bishops of Trento, who wielded both temporal and religious powers. In the following centuries, however, the sovereignty was divided between the Bishopric of Trent and the
County of Tyrol The (Princely) County of Tyrol was an Imperial State, estate of the Holy Roman Empire established about 1140. After 1253, it was ruled by the House of Gorizia and from 1363 by the House of Habsburg. In 1804, the County of Tyrol, unified with th ...
(from 1363 part of the Habsburg monarchy). Around 1200, Trento became a mining center of some significance: silver was mined from the Monte Calisio – Khalisperg, and Prince-Bishop
Federico Wanga Federico Vanga (or Wanga) (German: ''Friedrich von Wangen'') (died 1218) was Prince-Bishop of Trento from August 9, 1207, until his death. He was born in the noble family of the Lords of Wangen, a hamlet on the Ritten near Bolzano. As bishop he ...
issued the first mining code of the alpine region. In the 14th century, the
Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...
Family that ruled as dukes of
Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
were also the counts of
Tyrol Tyrol ( ; historically the Tyrole; ; ) is a historical region in the Alps of Northern Italy and western Austria. The area was historically the core of the County of Tyrol, part of the Holy Roman Empire, Austrian Empire and Austria-Hungary, f ...
. A dark episode in the history of Trento was the murder of a 3-year-old Christian boy, Simonino, later known as
Simon of Trent Simon of Trent (; , also known as ; 1472–1475), also known as Saint Simon (or Simeon) of Trent, was a young boy from the city of Trento, Trent, in the Prince-Bishopric of Trent (now Trentino, Italy), whose disappearance and death were blamed on ...
, who disappeared in 1475 on the eve of
Good Friday Good Friday, also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday, or Friday of the Passion of the Lord, is a solemn Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary (Golgotha). It is observed during ...
; the city's small Jewish community was accused of killing him and draining his blood for Jewish ritual purposes. Eight Jews were tortured and burned at the stake, and their families forced to convert to Christianity. The bishop of Trento,
Johannes Hinderbach Johannes Hinderbach (15 August 1418 – 21 September 1486) was Prince-Bishop of Trent from 12 May 1466 until his death. He was by birth a member of the Austrian nobility. Prior to his appointment as Bishop, he served as an advisor to the court of ...
, sought (without success) to have Simonino canonized and published the first book printed in Trento, ''Story of a Christian Child Murdered at Trento'', embellished with 12 woodcuts. In a governmental ceremony in the 1990s, Trento apologized to the Jewish community for this dark episode and unveiled a plaque commemorating the formal apology. In the 16th century, Trento became notable for the
Council of Trent The Council of Trent (), held between 1545 and 1563 in Trent (or Trento), now in northern Italy, was the 19th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. Prompted by the Protestant Reformation at the time, it has been described as the "most ...
(1545–1563) which gave rise to the
Counter-Reformation The Counter-Reformation (), also sometimes called the Catholic Revival, was the period of Catholic resurgence that was initiated in response to, and as an alternative to or from similar insights as, the Protestant Reformations at the time. It w ...
. The adjective ''Tridentine'' (as in "Tridentine Mass") literally means pertaining to Trento, but can also refer to that specific event. Among the notable prince-bishops of this time were
Bernardo Clesio Bernardo Clesio (; 1 March 1484 – 30 July 1539) was an Italian Cardinal (Catholic Church), Cardinal, bishop, diplomat, humanist and botanist. Born in Cles, in the Prince-Bishopric of Trent, today Trentino, he graduated from the University of Bo ...
(who governed the city from 1514 to 1539 and managed to steer the council to Trento) and
Cristoforo Madruzzo 200px, ''Portrait of Cardinal Cristoforo Madruzzo, Portrait of Cristoforo Madruzzo'' by Titian (1552). Museu de Arte de São Paulo, São Paulo. Cristoforo Madruzzo () (5 July 1512 – 5 July 1578) was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal and state ...
(who governed from 1539 to 1567), both able European politicians and Renaissance
humanists Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential, and agency of human beings, whom it considers the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "humanism" has ...
, who greatly expanded and embellished the city. During this period, and as an expression of this Humanism, Trento was also known as the site of a
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
printing press. In 1558
Cardinal Madruzzo 200px, ''Portrait of Cardinal Cristoforo Madruzzo, Portrait of Cristoforo Madruzzo'' by Titian (1552). Museu de Arte de São Paulo, São Paulo. Cristoforo Madruzzo () (5 July 1512 – 5 July 1578) was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal and state ...
granted the privilege of printing
Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...
books A book is a structured presentation of recorded information, primarily verbal and graphical, through a medium. Originally physical, electronic books and audiobooks are now existent. Physical books are objects that contain printed material, mo ...
to Joseph Ottolengo, a German
rabbi A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...
. The actual printer was Jacob Marcaria, a local physician; after his death in 1562, the activity of the press of Riva di Trento ceased. Altogether, 34 works were published in the period from 1558 to 1562, most of them bearing the coat of arms of Madruzzo. Prince-bishops governed Trento until the Napoleonic era, when it changed hands among various states. Under the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss, reorganization of the Holy Roman Empire in 1802, the Bishopric was secularized and annexed to the
Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...
territories. The Treaty of Pressburg (1805), Treaty of Pressburg in 1805 ceded Trento to Bavaria, and the Treaty of Schönbrunn four years later gave it to Napoleon's Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic), Kingdom of Italy. The population staged armed resistance to French domination. The resistance leader was Andreas Hofer. During his youth, he lived in Italian Tyrol, where he learned the Italian language. When Hofer recovered Trento for the Austrians (1809), he was welcomed with enthusiasm by the population of Trento. Approximately 4,000 Trentinian volunteers (''Sìzzeri'' or ''Schützen'') died in battle against the French and Bavarian troops. In 1810, Hofer was captured and brought to Mantua, and was shot by French soldiers on the express order of Napoleon. With Napoleon's defeat in 1814, Trento was annexed by the Austrian Empire, Habsburg Empire. Church government was finally extinguished, and Trento was henceforth governed by the secular administration of German Tyrol, Tyrol. In the following decades, Trento experienced a modernization of administration and economy with the first railroad in the Adige valley opening in 1859. The entire Mediterranean basin was at risk of malaria, a factor that affected the entire Italian peninsula and this Alpine region was not spared. Even Tuscany was particularly hard hit; malaria existed far inland into the Veneto area, reaching the Italian Alps. From 1918 to 1940, government figures show Italy's malaria deaths decreased by 96%, due to the efforts of the Rockefeller Foundation and Italy's own malaria experts, who themselves were international leaders in malariology. During the late 19th century, Trento and Trieste, cities with ethnic Italian majorities still belonging to the Austrians, became icons of the Italian irredentist movement. Benito Mussolini briefly joined the staff of a local newspaper in 1909, but left Trento because they could not create an anti-Austrian group. There was dissatisfaction with the lack of provincial autonomy and the failure to establish a university for the region. Feelings of loyalty were focused on the 'father-figure' emperor, not for Austria. The nationalist cause led Italy into World War I. and the deputy in the Austrian parliament Cesare Battisti (politician), Cesare Battisti were two well-known local irredentists who had joined the Royal Italian Army, Italian Army to fight against Austria-Hungary with the aim of bringing the territory of Trento into the new Kingdom of Italy. The two men were taken prisoners at the nearby southern front. They were put on trial for high treason and executed in the courtyard of
Castello del Buonconsiglio Buonconsiglio Castle () is a castle in Trento, northern Italy. History The castle originated from a fortified building that was erected in the 13th century next to the city's walls. This first building was called Castelvecchio (literally, 'old ...
. The region was greatly affected during the war, and some of its fiercest battles were fought on the surrounding mountains in the southernmost regions and the southeast. Of a population of just less than 400,000 in the province, 55,000 men served in the Imperial and Royal Army of whom 11,000 died. Most served on the Galician front; 700 served with the Italian Army. After World War I, Trento and its Italian-speaking province, along with
Bolzano Bolzano ( ; ; or ) is the capital city of South Tyrol (officially the province of Bolzano), Northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third largest in historical Tyrol. The ...
(Bozen) and the part of Tyrol that stretched south of the Alpine watershed (which was primarily German language, German-speaking, as still is to this day), were annexed by Italy. In July 1943 Mussolini was removed as Prime Minister when the allies invaded Sicily. Italy surrendered to the Allies, and declared war on Germany. German troops promptly invaded northern Italy and the provinces of Trento, Province of Belluno, Belluno and South Tyrol became part of the Operation Zone of the Alpine Foothills, annexed to Nazi Germany, Germany. Some German-speakers wanted revenge upon Italian-speakers living in the area, but were mostly prevented by the occupying German troops, who still considered Mussolini head of the Italian Social Republic and wanted to preserve good relations with the Italians. From November 1944 to April 1945, Trento was bombed as part of the so-called "Battle of the Brenner". War supplies from Germany to support the Gothic Line were for the most part routed via the rail line through the Brenner Pass. Over 6,849 sorties were flown by the Allies over targets from
Verona Verona ( ; ; or ) is a city on the Adige, River Adige in Veneto, Italy, with 255,131 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region, and is the largest city Comune, municipality in the region and in Northeast Italy, nor ...
to the Brenner Pass, with 10,267 tons of bombs dropped. Parts of the city were hit by the Allied bombings, including the church of S. Maria Maggiore, the Church of the Annunciation and several bridges over the Adige river. In spite of the bombings, most of the medieval and renaissance city center was spared. It was finally liberated on 3 May 1945. In 1947, Trento became the host of the Rally Stella Alpina. Since the 1950s, the region has enjoyed prosperous growth, thanks in part to its special autonomy from the central Italian government. On 4 August 2015, the cathedral tower caught fire by "spontaneous combustion". The clock stopped at 10:50 AM, a matter of minutes after the fire began. In 2020, Trento was listed as the most sustainable city in Italy, according to the Smart City Index.


Geography

The township of Trento encompasses the city centre as well as many suburbs of extremely varied geographical and population conditions (from the industrial suburb of Gardolo, just north of the city, to tiny mountain hamlets on Monte Bondone). Various distinctive suburbs still retain their traditional identity of rural or mountain villages. Trento lies in a wide glacial valley known as the Adige, Adige valley, just south of the Dolomite Mountains, where the Fersina River and Avisio River, Avisio rivers join the
Adige River The Adige is the second-longest river in Italy, after the Po. It rises near the Reschen Pass in the Vinschgau in the province of South Tyrol, near the Italian border with Austria and Switzerland, and flows through most of northeastern Italy ...
(the second longest river in Italy). River Adige is one of the three primary south-flowing Alpine rivers; its broadly curving course alongside Trento was straightened in 1850. The valley is surrounded by mountains, including Vigolana (), Monte Bondone (), Paganella (), Marzola () and Monte Calisio (). Nearby lakes include Lake Caldonazzo, Lake Levico, Lake Garda and Lake Toblino.


''Frazioni''

''Frazioni'', or subdivisions of Trento: * Povo * Villazzano * Gardolo * Roncafort * Mattarello * Martignano, Trento, Martignano * Cognola * Ravina, Trento, Ravina * Romagnano, Trento, Romagnano * Montevaccino * Vela, Trento, Vela * Meano, Trento, Meano * Sardagna, Trento, Sardagna * Sopramonte * Vigo Meano * Cortesano * Gazzadina * Candriai * Vaneze * Cadine, Trento, Cadine * Vigolo Baselga


Climate

The municipality of Trento stretches across a wide range of altitude levels, going from just under 200 m above sea level at the city centre, to 400 m in Povo and Cognola, to 2000 m above sea level at Monte Bondone, boroughs at higher elevation, for instance Viote Alpine Botanical Garden, Viote, have a colder alpine climate (''Dw''). Urban Trento has a Humid subtropical climate, humid subtropical-Humid continental climate, continental climate (''Cfa''-''Dfa'') according to the Köppen climate classification. Monthly average temperatures range between 1.6 °C (January) and 23.4 °C (July). Average annual precipitation exceeds 900 mm spread out on an average of 87 days, with peaks in late spring (May–June, 90 mm monthly average in 9–10 rain days) and autumn (October–November: 100–110 mm monthly average in 7–8 days), and lows in winter (January–February, 30–40 mm monthly average in 3–4 rain days). Winters are cold to freezing, with infrequent snowfall but usual frost from mid-November to mid-March. In winter, daytime highs may not exceed 5 °C and lows may rarely dip down to -10 °C, but the former usually stand around 8°C, while the latter usually hover between -3 °C to 0 °C. Spring brings unpredictable weather with wind blowing north to south or vice-versa through the valley. Many spring days are pleasant, but the transition may be very quick, for example going from frosty mornings to 30 °C in two months. In May, it is possible to have either rainy days with daytime highs below 18 °C, or sunny days with the temperature soaring up to 30 °C. Summers are hot, sometimes sweltering, with highs getting to 35 °C at least for a week a year and more rarely to 38 °C. Summer nights can be hot as well, with overnight lows hovering around 22-24 °C (in the hilly suburbs east, north and west of Trento summer nights can be much cooler, with overnight temperature differing by up to 6 °C from the ones experienced in the city centre). Early fall is pleasant, with foliage starting around mid-October at higher elevations, late October in the uphill suburbs and in November downtown. Fall days can be humid, grey and dim, with temperatures rapidly declining through October and November. The first snowfall in the suburbs may occur as early as late November, with December and early January being the snowiest period of the year.


Demographics

As of December 2023, there were 119.180 people residing in Trento, of whom 48% were male and 52% were female. Children (ages 14 and younger) totalled 12.6 percent of the population compared to the elderly (ages 65 and above) who numbered 24.4 percent. The average age of Trento residents is 45.5 compared to the Italian average of 46.8. In the five years between 2018 and 2023, the population of Trento grew by 0.72 percent, while Italy as a whole declined by 1.51 percent. The current birth rate of Trento is 9.61 births per 1,000 inhabitants compared to the Italian average of 9.45 births. , 92.68% of the population was Italian people, Italian. The largest immigrant group came from other European countries (mostly Albania, Romania): 4.13%, North Africa: 1.08%, and the Americas: 0.85%.


Economy

The city owes much of its unique economy to its position along the main communication route between Italy and Northern Europe and to the Adige river which, prior to its diversion in the mid-19th century, ran through the center of the city. The Adige river was formerly a navigable river and one of the main commercial routes in the Alps. The original course of the river is now covered by the Via Torre Vanga, Via Torre Verde and the Via Alessandro Manzoni. As late as World War II, Trento depended on wine-making and silk. Sparkling wine made in the Trentino province is part of the Trento DOC classification. The manufacturing industry installed in the post-war period has been mostly dismantled. Today, Trento thrives on commerce, services, tourism, high-quality agriculture and food industry (including wine and fruit), as a research and conference center thanks to a small but renowned University of Trento, university and internationally renowned research centers such as ''Fondazione Bruno Kessler'', active in both fundamental and applied research, the Italian-German Historical Institute, the Centre for Computational and Systems Biology and ECT*, active in theoretical nuclear studies and part of FBK, and as logistics and transportation thoroughfare. Valued pink and white porphyry (geology), porphyry are still excavated from some surrounding areas (Pila). This stone can be seen in many of Trento's buildings, both new and old. The city has two long-running annual sporting events: the Giro al Sas (a professional road running competition) was first held in the city in 1907 and continues to the present,Un balzo nel passato
. Giro al Sas. Retrieved 2010-11-03.
while the Giro del Trentino is an annual road cycling race which the city has hosted every year since 1963.


Economy Festival of Trento

The Festival dell’Economia di Trento (Economy Festival of Trento) was brought into being in 2006 in order to enable and facilitate discussions between economists and a broad public. The aim of this festival is to put economic terminology across to everyone. The festival takes place every year at the end of May on the historic Palazzi of the old town in Trento. Well known economists explain and interpret current economic issues, both from an economic-scientific as well as from a social and entrepreneurial viewpoint. In the course of recent years, numerous economic scholars and managers such as Sir Tony Atkinson, Anthony Atkinson, Fan Gang, Zygmunt Bauman and the Nobel Prize winner Gary Becker took an active part.


Politics


Government

Trento is governed by the City Council of Trento. Voters elect directly 40 councilors and the mayor of Trento every five years. The current mayor of Trento is Franco Ianeselli, elected for the first time on 21 September 2020. Ianeselli, a former trade unionist, was elected as a left-leaning independent with the support of a wide coalition of parties. These parties ranged from the left (as in the case of Europa Verde) to the Catholic centre (including Partito Autonomista Trentino Tirolese, and Insieme per Trento). When determining the composition of his Giunta (the equivalent of a City Cabinet), Ianeselli selected seven members of the City Council: Monica Baggia, Elisabetta Bozzarelli, Mariachiara Franzoia, Chiara Maule, Salvatore Panetta, Roberto Stanchina, and Paolo Zanella. However, in late November 2020 Paolo Zanella announced he would leave his position as a member of the Giunta, in order to fill a vacancy in one of the 35 seats of the legislative assembly of the Trentino province, upon the resignation of member Paolo Ghezzi. Shortly after, mayor Ianeselli announced Ezio Facchin as Zanella's successor.


Euroregion Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino

In 1996, a joint session between the states, further cultural and economic integration between the Austrian province of
Tyrol Tyrol ( ; historically the Tyrole; ; ) is a historical region in the Alps of Northern Italy and western Austria. The area was historically the core of the County of Tyrol, part of the Holy Roman Empire, Austrian Empire and Austria-Hungary, f ...
and the Italian autonomous provinces of South Tyrol and Trentino was mutually agreed on. This activity was steadily extended, eventually followed by the creation of the Euroregion Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino in 2011.


Main sights

Although off the beaten path of mass tourism, Trento offers rather interesting monuments. Its architecture has a unique feel, with both Italian Renaissance and Roman influences. The city center is small, and most Late-Medieval and Renaissance buildings have been restored to their original pastel colours and wooden balconies. Part of the medieval city walls is still visible in Piazza Fiera, along with a circular tower. Once, these walls encircled the entire city and were connected to the Castello del Buonconsiglio. The main monuments of the city include: * ''Trento Cathedral, Cattedrale di San Vigilio'' (Cathedral of Saint Vigilius), also known as ''Duomo di Trento'' (12th–13thcentury) is a Romanesque-Gothic cathedral built on top of a late-Roman basilica (viewable in an underground crypt). * ''Piazza Duomo'' (1767–1768), on the side of the cathedral, has frescoed Renaissance buildings and the Late Baroque Fountain of Neptune (''Fontana di Nettuno''). * Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, Trento, Church of Santa Maria Maggiore (1520), site of the preparatory congregations of the Third Council of Trent (April 1562 – December 1563). It was built for Bishop
Bernardo Clesio Bernardo Clesio (; 1 March 1484 – 30 July 1539) was an Italian Cardinal (Catholic Church), Cardinal, bishop, diplomat, humanist and botanist. Born in Cles, in the Prince-Bishopric of Trent, today Trentino, he graduated from the University of Bo ...
by the architect Antonio Medaglia in Renaissance-Gothic style. The façade has a notable 16th-century portal, while the interior has works by Giambettino Cignaroli and Gian Battista Moroni, Moroni. * ''Castello del Buonconsiglio'' (Buonconsiglio Castle) (13th century), which includes a museum and the notable Torre dell'Aquila, with a cycle of fine Gothic frescoes depicting the months, was commissioned by the prince-bishop Georg von Lichtenstein. * Church of San Pietro (12th century) features a neo-Gothic façade added in 1848–1850. * Church of Sant'Apollinare (13th century) is a Gothic church. * Church of San Lorenzo (12th century) features a Romanesque apse. * ''Torre Verde'' (Green Tower), along the former transit path of the Adige river, is said to be where persons executed in the name of the Prince-Bishop were deposited in the river. * ''Palazzo delle Albere'' (Palace of the Trees), a Renaissance villa next to the Adige river built around 1550 by the Madruzzo family, now hosting a modern art museum. * ''Palazzo Pretorio'' (12th century), next to the Duomo, with a bell tower (''Torre Civica'') of the 13th century that now hosts a collection of baroque paintings of religious themes. It was the main Bishops' residence until the mid-13th century. * ''Palazzo Salvadori'' (1515) is one of the first examples of Renaissance civil architecture in the city. * ''Palazzo Geremia'' (15th century) features a Renaissance exterior and Gothic interiors. * ''Palazzo Lodron'', built during the Council of Trent. The interior has a large fresco cycle. * Various underground remains of the streets and villas of the Roman city (in Via Prepositura and Piazza Cesare Battisti). Trento also sports modernist architecture, including the train station and the central post office, both by rationalist architect Angiolo Mazzoni. In particular, the train station (1934–36) is considered a landmark building of Italian railways architecture and combines many varieties of local stone with the most advanced building materials of the time: glass, reinforced concrete, metal. The post office was once decorated with colored windows by Fortunato Depero, but these were destroyed during bombings in World War II. Other buildings of that time include the Grand Hotel by Giovanni Lorenzi with some guest rooms furnished with futurist furniture by Depero, and the "R. Sanzio" Primary School built in 1931–34 and designed by Adalberto Libera.


Gallery

File:MUSE - exterior 03.jpg, Museo delle Scienze, MUSE, the science museum designed by Renzo Piano File:Trento-cortile Palazzo Thun-perspective.jpg, Palazzo Thun, seat of the mayor's office and the City Council File:Trento-Piazza Fiera 2.jpg, Piazza Fiera, with part of the former city wall on the right-hand side File:Palazzo Vescovo Trento.JPG, Palazzo Vescovile, seat of the local Catholic Diocese File:Cazuffi-Rella houses, Piazza Duomo, Trento.jpg, Casa Cazuffi and casa Rella, in the central Piazza Duomo File:Trento Palazzo delle Albere.jpg, Palazzo delle Albere, formerly the Summer residence of the Prince-Bishop File:Trento centro storico - Chiesa San Francesco Saverio.jpg, Chiesa di San Francesco Saverio (St. Francis Xavier Church). The street is via Belenzani connecting the church façade with Piazza Duomo File:Trento - Piazza Dante - panoramio.jpg, Monument to Dante Alighieri in Piazza Dante


Culture


Museums

* MUSE - Museo delle Scienze, museum of science and natural history. The museum was planned by Renzo Piano and opened in 2013. *Trento Municipal Gallery, Municipal Gallery, part of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovereto, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovereto (MART). * Regional Museum of Art (Trento), Regional Museum of Art, in the
Castello del Buonconsiglio Buonconsiglio Castle () is a castle in Trento, northern Italy. History The castle originated from a fortified building that was erected in the 13th century next to the city's walls. This first building was called Castelvecchio (literally, 'old ...
, former seat of the Prince-Bishops of Trento. * The Tridentine Diocesan Museum, located in the , next to the Cathedral Square of Trento, shows the artistic treasures of the diocese of Trento as well as the influence of the council on the city. * Viote Alpine Botanical Garden, located on Monte Bondone in ''Le Viote'', founded in 1938. Trento's surroundings are known for the mountain landscapes and are a destination of both summer and winter tourism. * Museo dell'Aeronautica Gianni Caproni, an aeronautical museum located in Mattarello, near Trento's airport.


Theatre

* Teatro Sociale (Trento), Teatro Sociale, realized in 1819 * Teatro Auditorium * Teatro San Marco * Teatro di Meano, located in the frazione of Meano


Events

* Economy Festival Trento * Mountain Film Festival * Christmas Market of Trento * A Tutto Nosiola – Food and Wine Event * Gemme di Gusto – Food and Wine Event * DiVin Ottobre – Food and Wine Event


Education

The
University of Trento The University of Trento (Italian: ''Università degli Studi di Trento'') is an Italian university located in Trento and nearby Rovereto. It has been able to achieve considerable results in didactics, research, and international relations accord ...
was founded in 1962 and has its headquarters in the city of Trento. The other university location is in Rovereto. In total, over 16,000 students study in Trento. Through the Euroregion Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino, the university also works closely together with the universities of University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck and Free University of Bolzano, Bolzano.


Transport

The Autostrada A22 (Italy), Autostrada A22 (part of the European route E45) highway connects Trento to Verona, Italy, Verona and to
Bolzano Bolzano ( ; ; or ) is the capital city of South Tyrol (officially the province of Bolzano), Northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third largest in historical Tyrol. The ...
,
Innsbruck Innsbruck (; ) is the capital of Tyrol (federal state), Tyrol and the List of cities and towns in Austria, fifth-largest city in Austria. On the Inn (river), River Inn, at its junction with the Wipptal, Wipp Valley, which provides access to the ...
and Munich. Trento railway station, opened in 1859, forms part of the Brenner railway, Brenner railway (Verona–Innsbruck), which is the main rail connection between Italy and Germany. The station is also a junction (rail), junction with the Trento–Venice railway, Valsugana railway, which connects Trento to Venezia Santa Lucia railway station, Venice. Trento has several other railway stations, including Trento FTM railway station, terminus of the Trento-Malè-Marilleva railway (FTM). Bus or train services operate to the main surrounding valleys: Fassa, Fiemme, Gudicarie, Non, Primiero, Rendena, Sole, Tesino, Valsugana. The public transport network within the city consists of 20 bus lines operated by Trentino Trasporti and a Aerial tramway, cable car service to Sardagna. The various railway stations within Trento's city limits are integrated into the public transport network. File:Trento-Gianni Caproni airport seen from Obere Batterie Mattarello.jpg, Trento-Mattarello Airport File:Trento-Trento-Venice railway viaduct.jpg, Valsugana railway File:A22Rovereto.jpg, Autostrada A22 (Italy)


Sport


Local teams

* Trentino Volley, one of the top teams in Italian Volleyball League, Italian volleyball, has won the Italian championship four times, three times the CEV Champions League title and five times the FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship, club world cup. * Aquila Basket Trento has been playing regularly in the highest Lega Basket Serie A, Italian basketball league for several years and reached the final of the play-offs in the 2016-17 LBA season, 2016/17 season and 2017-18 LBA season, 2017/18 season. * A.C. Trento S.C.S.D. is one of the oldest football clubs in the region of Trentino Alto Adige since its foundation in 1921. Starting in 2021, the club is to play in the third highest Italian league, the Serie C.


Sports venues

PalaTrento, now known as PalaTrento, BLM Group Arena, opened in 2000, is an indoor arena with a capacity of 4300 seats. Trentino Volley and Aquila Basket Trento play their respective games there. * Stadio Briamasco is a football stadium with a capacity of 4277 seats and is currently the home stadium of AC Trento.


People

Notable people born in or associated with Trento include: * Jacopo Aconcio (), Italian jurist, theologian, philosopher and engineer * Beniamino Andreatta (1928–2007), Italian economist and politician * Cesare Battisti (politician), Cesare Battisti (1875–1916), Italian patriot during the Italian irredentism * Francesco Antonio Bonporti (1672–1749), Italian priest and amateur composer * Aliprando Caprioli, engraver of the 16th century * Alcide De Gasperi (1881–1954), 30th Prime Minister of Italy and one of the founding fathers of the European Union * Ernest von Koerber (1850–1919), Austrian liberal statesman, prime minister of the Austrian portion of
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...
from 1900 to 1904 * Johann Baptist von Lampi the Younger (1775–1837), Austrian portrait painter * Chiara Lubich (1920–2008), Italian teacher and author. She founded the Focolare Movement. * Martino Martini (1614–1661), Jesuit missionary, geographer, historian and missionary * Paolo Oss Mazzurana (1833–1895), Trento's most notable mayor, with progressive economic policies that impacted Trento's commercial sector and its eventual independence * Francesca Neri (born 1964), Italian actress * Aldo Pancheri (born 1940), painter and printmaker * Antonio Pedrotti (1901–1975), Italian conductor and composer * Alfredo Pieroni (1923–2011), Journalist and essayist * Andrea Pozzo (1642–1709), Jesuit Brother, baroque painter and architect * Galeas von Thun und Hohenstein (1850–1931), the List of grand masters of the Knights Hospitaller, Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta from 1905 to 1931 * Alessandro Vittoria (1525–1608), Italian Mannerism, Mannerist sculptor of the Venetian painting, Venetian school * Hermann Zingerle (1870–1935), Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist and neuropathologist


Sport

* Lorenzo Bernardi (born 1968), Italian volleyball coach and former player, team silver medallist at the 1996 Summer Olympics * Attilio Bettega (1953–1985), rally driver * Alessandro Bonetti (born 1985), racing driver *Mirko Bortolotti (born 1990), racing driver *Thomas Degasperi (born 1981), water skier, two time World Champion *Cesare Maestri (1929–2021), Italian mountaineer and writer *Amos Mosaner (born 1995), Italian curler, team gold medallist at the 2022 Winter Olympics *Marvin Vettori (born 1993), Italian professional Mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist *Renzo Videsott (1904–1974), Italian alpinist and conservationist


International relations


Twin towns – sister cities

Trento is Sister city, twinned with: * Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf (Berlin), Germany (1966) * San Sebastián, Spain (1987) * Kempten, Germany (1987) * Prague 1, Czech Republic (2002) Districts of Trento are twinned with: * Schwaz, Austria * Fließ, Austria * Ergolding, Germany * Herrsching, Germany * Neufahrn bei Freising, Germany * Znojmo, Czech Republic * Taksony, Hungary


Partner cities

* Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina * Sławno, Poland


See also

* Trentino * Val d'Adige (territory)


References


Notes


Further reading

* * *


External links


Official homepage of Trento
{{Authority control Trento, Cities and towns in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol