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Levico Terme | |
|---|---|
| Comune di Levico Terme | |
 Levico Terme seen from near theTenna municipality with Lake Levico in the front. | |
 Coat of arms | |
  Levico Terme Location of Levico Terme in Italy Show map of Italy Levico Terme Levico Terme (Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol) Show map of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol | |
| Coordinates:46°1′N11°18′E / 46.017°N 11.300°E /46.017; 11.300 | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol |
| Province | Trentino (TN) |
| Frazioni | Santa Giuliana, Barco, Campiello, Vetriolo Terme, Selva, Quaere |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Gianni Beretta |
| Area | |
• Total | 62.9 km2 (24.3 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 520 m (1,710 ft) |
| Population (30 June 2012)[2] | |
• Total | 7,668 |
| • Density | 122/km2 (316/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Levicensi or levegani |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 38056 |
| Dialing code | 0461 |
| Patron saint | Most Holy Redeemer (SS. Redentore) |
| Saint day | 3rd Sunday of July |
| Website | Official website |
Levico Terme (Levego in local dialect;Löweneck in German;Cimbrian:Leve) is acomune (municipality) and a town inTrentino in the northernItalian regionTrentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. As of 30 June 2012, it had a population of 7,668 and an area of 62.9 square kilometres (24.3 sq mi).[3]
Levico Terme is located on the highest point of theValsugana valley bottom, at 520 metres (1,710 ft) above sea level, 22 kilometres (14 mi) fromTrento and about 110 kilometres (68 mi) fromPadua, on the banks of the Rio Maggiore brook, which is a tributary ofLake Levico, from which originates theBrenta River.
The town is dominated by the mountains of theLagorai range on the north, with Monte Fronte, elevation 1,582 metres (5,190 ft), andMonte Panarotta (2,002 metres (6,568 ft)), and the zone of the Plateaus (Vezzena,Lavarone,Luserna,Folgaria) on the south, where Cima Vezzena, also locally called Pizzo di Levico 1,908 metres (6,260 ft), with its distinctive Austro-Hungarian fort on its top, and Cima Pegolara are located. To the west the Vigolana range can be seen past the lakes of Levico andCaldonazzo, and on the east the valley opens considerably, and the view extends beyondBorgo Valsugana.
The urbanised area is predominantly on the valley floor, with the main urban centre lying on the left side of the river Brenta along with thefrazioni of Selva and Campiello, while on the right of the river lie the 'frazioni' of Barco, Santa Giuliana and Quaere. Other hamlets do not lie on the valley floor, though their population is low and often tied to seasonal activities such as tourism (Vetriolo Terme, 1,500 metres (4,900 ft)) or mountain activities such as logging, grazing and recreation (Passo Vezzena, 1,402 metres (4,600 ft)).
The municipality is traditionally divided into sixrioni (quarters): Chiesa (north-west), Furo (north-east), Grande (south-west) and Cortina (southeast) in the main urban centre, Oltrebrenta comprising all thefrazioni on the right bank of the Brenta (Barco, Santa Giuliana, Quaere), and Selva comprising the village of the same name and Campiello.
West of the city, above Lake Levico, lies Forte Col De Le Bene, an Austro-Hungarian fort, also known as Forte San Biagio, from the name of the hill it is built on.
Traces of the first inhabitants in the area can be dated back to theIron Age, though the first organised settlement springs up during the Roman era.The etymology of the name "Levico" is debated. The major theories make Levico derive from Celtic terms such asleoug,leak orlewa, signifying "border post/boundary marker", or from the barbaric gentilicLetta, from which cameLevi vicus then contracted intoLevicus, or from the Latin(praedium) Livicune ("Livius' farm", then vulgarised intoLievigo andLevigo) orLaevus vicus, "village left [of the river]". The Latin interpretations are the ones most agreed with, given the abundance of Latin terms in the topography of the municipality (such as Furo, fromforum).SuccessiveLombard presence is also cited in various documents and found in some toponyms, such asGuizza (fromwizza, communal grazeland).[4]
In 1027, the territory of Levico passed under the Bishopric of Trent, established withConrad II's donation to Bishop Ulrich II. However, Levico remained under theDiocese of Feltre regarding spiritual authority, and would remain that way until 1785.The name Levico (asLevigo) appears for the first time in a document dated 29 October 1184, in apapal bull in whichPope Lucius III reaffirms the rights of the Diocese of Feltre in Valsugana.
Levico followed the history of the Bishopric, and, ascommunitas Levigi, proclaimed its statute in 1431 and 1479. During theGerman Peasants' War, in August 1525, peasants from the Valsugana marched towards Trento against the then-Bishop's Captain; the rebellion, however, was rapidly crushed. In 1575 and 1636[5] Levico was ravaged by plague epidemics; the latter cut the population in half.
In the 18th century, scientific journals spread news about the health effects of the local waters, rich in arsenic and iron, which were mentioned in Michelangelo Mariani'sHistory of the Council of Trent in 1673. The first spa building taking advantage of these springs was opened in 1860.
In 1779,[6] through a treaty between Austria and the Bishopric of Trent, the jurisdiction of Levico passed to the House of Habsburg.
Napoleon I, on his way to thebattle of Bassano in September 1796, after reaching Trento passed through the Valsugana, encountering a light Austrian resistance in Levico, which was then defined by Napoleonloco ameno et hospitale (quaint and hospitable town). Afterwards, Levico would follow the rest of Trentino in its annexation to Austria, after the abolition of the Bishopric as a political entity in 1803.TheThird Italian War of Independence saw a battle between Austrian and Italian troops, during the latter's advance towards Trento, fought in town through the night of 23-24 July 1866. In 1894 Levico was elevated to the rank of city (Stadtgemeinde), by Imperial-Royal Decree, underFranz Joseph I of Austria, and in 1896 it was reached by theValsugana railway.
At the outbreak ofWorld War I, Levico was still part ofAustria-Hungary, and as such it supplied a contingent of soldiers (The 1stKaiserjäger Regiment had a battalion stationed in the city). The civilian population, though, was mostly deported to internment camps (Internierungslager) in the heartland of the Empire whenItaly joined the Entente on 24 May 1915. The city lay indeed right next to the frontline of the plateaus to the south, and most of the population ended up in camps inMoravia, in the so-calledwooden cities. Those that, mostly for being suspected of holding pro-Italian positions, were deemed to pose a security risk were instead interned in Katzenau, in harsh conditions.
Thepeace treaty assigned Levico, along with the rest of Trentino and South Tyrol, to Italy. The city had been devastated by abandonment and the long absence of workers, and reconstruction was slow. In order to hasten the rebuilding, the massive Austro-Hungarian forts that had been employed during the war were scavenged for scrap iron and building material, making most of these forts little more than ruins.[7]
World War II touched Levico, along with the rest of the province, only to a limited extent until theBadoglio Proclamation on 8 September 1943, when it was invaded by the Wehrmacht and incorporated to theAlpenvorland under directGerman administration.The city was chosen as the site of theDeutsches Marinekommando Italien from October/November 1943 to February 1944, and from July 1944 to 27 April 1945[8] (asMarineoberkommando Süd), despite lying more than 100 kilometres (62 mi) inland from theAdriatic Sea. Levico was bombed many times throughout the second part of the war; the largest bombing, on 15 March 1945 destroyed the spa building and the Regina hotel, at the time one of the most luxurious hotels in the region.
After the war, Levico saw a large urbanistic expansion and the rebuilding of the spa complex (opened in 1965), developing the existing tourism-based economy even more. As tourist destination Levico Terme is mainly geared towards senior citizens and families with small children. Thermal treatments, biking and excursions in the area are possible. Around 50 restaurants and 30 accommodation facilities are available to guests.
Levico Terme istwinned with:
Hausham, Germany, since 1959
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