Peschiera del Garda - History
There are traces of civilisation that date back to the Bronze age and that testify to the importance of this area in prehistoric times as a trading centre between European civilisations and Mediterranean regions. The first settlement dates back to 1500 and 1100 BC. The Romans conquered the Venetians and the Gauls that dwelled in the area in the first century and, at the end of the 7th century, with the rule of the Longobards, Peschiera in addition to being an important strategic – commercial centre, became a very important administrative centre. In 1378 it was occupied by the Visconti and in the early fifteenth century it became part of the Gonzaga domain, until 1440 when Francesco Sforza occupied it on behalf of the Serenissima. With the Venetian defeat in 1509 it fell into the hands of Louis XII’s French, but after a short rule ( 1511 – 1517 ) it returned to the Venetians. After later falling into the hands of the Austrians, Peschiera del Garda became part, together with Verona, Mantua and Legnago, of the Quadrilatero, the defence system organized by the Austrians, which saw fighting during the three Italian wars of Independence. It was eventually beaten in 1848. Carducci even mentioned this fact in some of his poetry.
