Borghetto sul Mincio

Borghetto sul Mincio is a municipality in the province of Verona which stands on a river ford. In medieval times it was used as a toll booth. Thanks to the Viscontis (dukes of Milan) the village acquired importance and a defensive wall was built around the town. The Duke of Milan, in a dispute with the Gonzagas in Mantua, decided to build a dam to divert the Mincio river and ultimately drain the lakes around Mantua. The project failed and a wooden bridge over the Mincio was built instead.

Some archaeological findings have made it possible to establish that the area around Borghetto sul Mincio was already inhabited during the Iron Age. Subsequently it saw the passage of the Etruscans, of whom several jewels were found, the Gauls, of whom an important necropolis was found, and the Romans.

However, the first to recognize the strategic importance of the area, which passes over the Mincio river, were the Longobards. Borghetto sul Mincio was for almost 1,000 years an obligatory route for anyone wanting to move from South to West in the Venetian lands. Here the Lombards founded the first settlement right on the banks of the river, where there was also a gastald, a customs officer who collected taxes for crossing the river. In the 12th century, the small Monastery of Santa Maria was founded on the left bank of the river, which became the seat of the Templars, which served to provide assistance to passing pilgrims.

A worthwhile bike path that leads from Borghetto to Lake Garda.