Conzano
| Conzano | |
|---|---|
| Comune | |
| Comune di Conzano | |
 Conzano
|
|
| Coordinates: 45°1′17″N 8°27′18″E / 45.02139°N 8.45500°ECoordinates: 45°1′17″N 8°27′18″E / 45.02139°N 8.45500°E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Piedmont |
| Province / Metropolitan city | Alessandria (AL) |
| Frazioni | San Maurizio |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Francesco Imarisio (Lista civica; elected 2004-06-13) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 11.62 km2 (4.49 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 262 m (860 ft) |
| Population (2005) | |
| • Total | 1,004 |
| • Density | 86/km2 (220/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Conzanesi |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code | 15030 |
| Dialing code | 0142 |
| Patron saint | Saint Lucy of Syracuse |
| Saint day | 13 December |
| Website | Official website |
The Commune of Conzano (Italian: Comune di Conzano; Piemontese: Consan) is a municipality located in the south of Casale Monferrato, in the north-west of the italian province of Alessandria.
The town became famous for having been declared, in 1992, as the symbol of the massive emigration of the people to the northern Queensland, Australia, about 1890-1935 period: the ancient town square, named Piazza d'Armi (= Weapons Square), was renamed in Piazza Australia and Conzano has been twinned with Ingham, Queensland.
The town is situated on the Montferrat hills, among the Grana and Rotaldo creeks, at an altitude of 262 meters above the sea level, and includes two decentralized hamlets (the latter’s formal status as a frazione) in the northern flat side (near Casale Monferrato), recognised in the Statuto Comunale ): the first one is Castello, the second one is San Maurizio. To the north-east side, the country borders with Occimiano, to the south-east with Lu, to the west with Camagna Monferrato, to the south with Cuccaro. The municipal territory extends over a predominantly rural area of 11.62 square kilometres (4.49 sq mi).
In ancient times, the site was inhabited by prehistoric settlements, followed by a Roman colonization of consul Marco Fulvio Flacco (2nd century]]), contemporary of Celtic-ligurian tribes named Iadatine, from the Latin Iactum, the ancient name of the Grana creek.
Since 3rd century A.D. they are documented rules of patrician praedials named Medialianus, but also Condius, Contius, accordingly the origin of toponym Contiacus, Conziacanus, Conzianus. A true urban village begins about the 5th century, at the bottom of the hill. Exposed to repeated incursions throughout the Middle Ages, especially the Lombards, Goths and Saracens, old village was totally destroyed, and the new village was built in the 10th century on the top of the hill, with a topographical structure in concentric circles, on ancient places named Pozzo Piazza and bric (= peak) Saint Lucia (= Saint Lucy of Syracuse).
The Emperor Otto I of Saxony gave the village in manor to the Lords of Cuccaro; in the same period, Marquis Oberto gift to the Cluniac congregation property for the construction of a little Benedictine Priory, and the decentralized San Maurizio hamlet began to be populated.
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Wikipedia