Salò
title: "Salò" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["cities-and-towns-in-lombardy", "capitals-of-former-nations", "italian-social-republic", "populated-places-on-lake-garda"] topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salò" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox Italian comune"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Salò |
| official_name | Città di Salò |
| image_skyline | File:Golfo di Salò.JPG |
| image_caption | View of Salò and its bay |
| image_shield | Salò-Stemma.svg |
| coordinates | |
| coordinates_footnotes | |
| region | Lombardy |
| province | Brescia (BS) |
| frazioni | Barbarano, Campoverde, Renzano, Villa, Cunettone, Serniga, San Bartolomeo, Moriondo |
| mayor | Francesco Cagnini |
| area_total_km2 | 29 |
| population_total | 10576 |
| population_as_of | 2017 |
| population_demonym | Salodiani |
| elevation_m | 65 |
| saint | St. Charles |
| day | 4 November |
| postal_code | 25087 |
| area_code | 0365 |
| website | |
| :: |
::callout[type=note]
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| name = Salò | official_name = Città di Salò | native_name = | image_skyline = File:Golfo di Salò.JPG | imagesize = | image_alt = | image_caption = View of Salò and its bay | image_shield = Salò-Stemma.svg | img_coa_small = | shield_alt = | shield_size = | image_map = | map_alt = | map_caption = | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = | coordinates = | coordinates_footnotes = | region = Lombardy | province = Brescia (BS) | frazioni = Barbarano, Campoverde, Renzano, Villa, Cunettone, Serniga, San Bartolomeo, Moriondo | mayor_party = | mayor = Francesco Cagnini | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 29 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 10576 | population_as_of = 2017 | pop_density_footnotes = | population_demonym = Salodiani | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 65 | twin1 = | twin1_country = | saint = St. Charles | day = 4 November | postal_code = 25087 | area_code = 0365 | website = | footnotes =
Salò (; ) is a town and comune in the Province of Brescia in the region of Lombardy (northern Italy) on the banks of Lake Garda, on which it has the longest promenade. The city was the seat of government of the Italian Social Republic from 1943 to 1945, a state often referred to as the "Salò Republic" (Repubblica di Salò in Italian).
History
Roman period
Although legend has it that Salò has Etruscan origins, recorded history starts with the founding by ancient Romans of the colony of Pagus Salodium. There are numerous ruins of the Roman settlement, as shown by the Lugone necropolis (in via Sant'Jago) and the findings (vase-flasks and funeral steles) in the Civic Archaeological Museum located at the Loggia della Magnifica Patria.
Middle Ages
The origins of the municipality of Salò are barely known: its autonomy from Brescia can be dated towards the end of the 13th century or the beginning of the next one, and the most ancient statues conserved by the city authorities are dated 1397. During the high Middle Ages, the city shared the same history as that of Lombardy.
From 1334 until its dissolution in 1797, the town was part of a sort of federation of town councils of the territory along the western lakeshore of Lake Garda (from Limone down to Desenzano) and the Valsabbia areas, initially called Riperia Lacus Gardae Brixiensis with its capital in Maderno and later known as the Riviera di Salò. The number of the council involved in the federation varied over time from 32 to 46.
The federation did not want to form an alliance with Brescia nor with Verona deciding instead to request the help of Venice. Due to the distance of Venice, this strategy did not guarantee the independence of the area and, after a short protectorate under the rule of Venice (from 1336 to 1349), Salò became a stronghold of the Milanese Visconti family. In 1377 Beatrice della Scala, the wife of Bernabò Visconti, wanted Salò to be the capital of the area, reducing the influence of Maderno: the city was provided with solid walls and the castle was built.
The ''Magnifica Patria''
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Colonna_salo.jpg" caption="Venetian Republic"] ::
On 13 May 1426, after a long period of war, the towns of western bank of the lake spontaneously joined the Venetian Republic, where they remained for the following three centuries: in the main square a column with the Lion of St Mark, symbol of Venice, can be found still today.
Over the years, Venice gave great autonomy to this province of its Stato da Tera, that remained a de facto independent area and was given both the titles of Magnifica Patria (Magnificent Homeland) and Figlia primogenita della Serenissima (firstborn daughter of the Serenissima).
The general council of the Patria and its other institutions remained all centred in Salò (which gained importance and influence), although a governor was sent by the capital, who was given the titles of Provveditore (Superintendent) and Capitano della Riviera (Captain of the Riviera) and the power to act as penal judge for the whole Riviera (whilst civil justice was entrusted to a Brescian podestà who also resided in Salò). Besides farming and trade, the linen industry developed in this period.
During a pastoral visit to Salò in 1580 Carlo Borromeo settled various disputes and founded a spiritual Monte di Pietà to pay teachers to educate the poor children and youths of the town.
Napoleonic era and Risorgimento
In 1796 Napoleons troops fought with Austrian troops in Northern Italy during the First Italian campaign. The end of the Venetian republic (Treaty of Campo Formio) ended Salò's position as the capital of the western riviera: on 1 January 1797, the provisional Brescian government instituted the Canton of Benaco with the capital of Benaco, "aforesaid Salò": the town joined the Cisalpine Republic and then the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy (1805–1814).
After the Napoleonic Era, Salò became part of the Austrian Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia from 1815 to 1859.
In 1848 Salò joined the Milan revolution against the Habsburg rule and during the Second Italian War of Independence, there were many volunteers that fought with Garibaldi serving in the Piedmontese Army. On 18 June 1859, Garibaldi entered Salò and was welcomed by a happy crowd. Salò received the honorary title of Città (City) with a royal decree on 15 December 1860.
In 1866 the town was the headquarters of the Italian navy during the war with Austria. After the battle of Custoza the Austrians temporarily retook control of the town, but despite their victory and a naval defeat of the Italians at Lissa, the Austrians surrendered to the Prussians a month later and were forced to cede Venetia after the Treaty of Vienna.
Italian Social Republic
From 1943 to 1945 Salò was the de facto capital (seat of government) of Benito Mussolini's Nazi-backed puppet state, the Italian Social Republic, also known as the Republic of Salò: Villa Castagna was the seat of the police headquarters, Villa Amedei was the head office of the Ministry of Popular Culture, Villa Simonini (nowadays Hotel Laurin) was the seat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Stefani Agency, which distributed official press releases, was located in Via Brunati.
Main sights
File:Map of Salò 2008 Touring Club Italiano TCI GRr2012.tiff|Map of city centre File:Salò 08.jpg|Salò main square File:Porta dell'orologio Salò.jpg|Porta dell'Orologio (Clock's Town Gate) File:Chiesa di S Maria Annunciata - Salò (Foto Luca Giarelli).jpg|Façade of the Duomo File:Abside e Cristo Duomo di Salò.jpg|The interior of the Duomo File:Museo di Salò MUSA lato Ovest Salò sul Lago di Garda.jpg|The local museum MUSA
- The Duomo di Santa Maria Annunziata (cathedral of the Annunciation to Saint Mary), rebuilt in late Gothic style in the 15th century. It has a noteworthy Renaissance portal by Gasparo Cairano and Antonio Mangiacavalli, paintings by Zenone Veronese (16th century), a Polyptych of Paolo Veneziano's school and a Madonna and Saints by Romanino.
- The Palazzo della Magnifica Patria ("Palace of the Magnificent Fatherland", 16th century). The palace is home to the Historical Museum of the Azure Ribbon, an exhibition of documents on Renaissance history, on Italy's colonial wars, the Spanish Civil War and the Resistance against Fascism.
- The Communal Palace is the seat of the Civic Archaeological Museum, with findings from the ancient Salodium.
- The local museum MUSA, opened in 2015.
Seismicity
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/051210-Salò-Italy-Marius.jpg" caption="Salò and the [[Alps"] ::
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Salò_06.jpg" caption="The city centre on the lakeshore"] ::
Main article: List of earthquakes in Italy
The area around the lake is a seismic zone. In 1877 a meteorological observatory was established under the supervision Prof. Pio Bettoni, to whom it was later dedicated. In 1889, a geophysical observatory (seismic station) was added, which became an important scientific research centre after the 1901 earthquake (5.5 Mw, intensity VII–VIII, no fatalities, buildings damaged). Another earthquake occurred in 2004 (5.1 Mw, intensity VII–VIII, nine injuries, many buildings damaged).
Education
Schools include:
- Sezione Primavera "Paola di Rosa"
- Preschools:
- Scuola dell’Infanzia Trivero
- Scuola dell’Infanzia Montessori
- Scuola dell’Infanzia Paola di Rosa
- Elementary schools:
- Scuola Primaria T. Olivelli
- Scuola Primaria S. Giuseppe
- Junior high schools:
- Scuola Secondaria 1º Grado D'Annunzio
- Scuola Secondaria 1º Grado E. Medi
- Liceo Scientifico E. Fermi – Senior high school
The comune has a library, the Biblioteca Civica di Salò.
Sports
Salò is home to the football team Feralpisalò, which was formed in 2009 after the merger of A.C. Salò and A.C. Feralpi Lonato.
Municipal government
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Palazzo_comunale_lato_Sud_a_Salò.jpg" caption="The Town Hall"] ::
Salò is headed by a mayor (sindaco) assisted by a legislative body, the consiglio comunale, and an executive body, the giunta comunale. Since 1995 the mayor and members of the consiglio comunale are directly elected together by resident citizens, while from 1945 to 1995 the mayor was chosen by the legislative body. The giunta comunale is chaired by the mayor, who appoints others members, called assessori. The offices of the comune are housed in a building usually called the municipio or palazzo comunale.
Since 1995 the mayor of Salò is directly elected by citizens, originally every four, then every five years. The current mayor is Francesco Cagnini, a center-left independent, elected on 10 June 2024 with the 40% of the votes.
::data[format=table]
| Mayor | Term start | Term end | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giovanni Cigognetti | 24 April 1995 | 14 June 1999 | Democratic Party of the Left}} |
| Gianpietro Cipani | 14 June 1999 | 8 June 2009 | Forza Italia}} |
| Barbara Botti | 8 June 2009 | 26 May 2014 | Forza Italia}} |
| Gianpietro Cipani | 26 May 2014 | 10 June 2024 | Forza Italia}} |
| Francesco Cagnini | 10 June 2024 | Incumbent | Independent (politician)}} |
| :: |
Notable residents
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Busto_di_Gasparo_da_Salò_intero_a_Salò.jpg" caption="The bust of [[Gasparo da Salò"] ::
- Benito Mussolini, Italian fascist dictator
- Gasparo da Salò, one of the earliest violin makers
- Pietro Bellotto, late-Baroque painter born in Volciano
- Ferdinando Bertoni, Italian composer and organist
- Marco Enrico Bossi, Italian composer and organist
- Sante Cattaneo, 19th century Painter
- Luigi Comencini, Italian film director
- Angelo Zanelli, Italian sculptor
- Nino Bertasio, golfer
- Alessio Lorandi, racing driver
- Leonardo Lorandi, racing driver
Gallery
File:Palazzo comunale Piazza della Vittoria porticato Salò.jpg|Arcades File:Palazzo liberty Lungolago Zanardelli Salò.jpg|Liberty style architecture File:Villino a Salò Lago di Garda.jpg|Private house File:Lago di Garda - Salò - Via San Carlo - ICE Photocompilation Viewing from East to ESE.jpg|St. Charles statue File:Monumento a Giuseppe Zanardelli B a Salò.jpg|Monument to Giuseppe Zanardelli File:Porta dell'Orologio a Salò.jpg|The clock tower File:Golfo e filare di cipresso comune in Via Tavini a Salò.jpg|Main shore
Climate
|metric first=y |single line=y |collapsed = Y |location = Salò (1981–2010) |Jan high C = 7.3 |Feb high C = 8.8 |Mar high C = 13.4 |Apr high C = 17.4 |May high C = 22.8 |Jun high C = 26.7 |Jul high C = 29.4 |Aug high C = 28.7 |Sep high C = 23.8 |Oct high C = 17.8 |Nov high C = 11.9 |Dec high C = 8.1 | year high C = |Jan mean C = 4.5 |Feb mean C = 5.5 |Mar mean C = 9.5 |Apr mean C = 13.2 |May mean C = 18.2 |Jun mean C = 21.9 |Jul mean C = 24.5 |Aug mean C = 24.0 |Sep mean C = 19.7 |Oct mean C = 14.7 |Nov mean C = 9.0 |Dec mean C = 5.4 | year mean C = |Jan low C = 1.6 |Feb low C = 2.2 |Mar low C = 5.6 |Apr low C = 9.0 |May low C = 13.5 |Jun low C = 17.1 |Jul low C = 19.5 |Aug low C = 19.2 |Sep low C = 15.7 |Oct low C = 11.6 |Nov low C = 6.2 |Dec low C = 2.7 | year low C = | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 77 | Feb precipitation mm = 67 | Mar precipitation mm =86 | Apr precipitation mm =86 | May precipitation mm =106 | Jun precipitation mm =95 | Jul precipitation mm = 90 | Aug precipitation mm =115 | Sep precipitation mm =89 | Oct precipitation mm =120 | Nov precipitation mm =106 | Dec precipitation mm = 68 |unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm | Jan precipitation days = 7 | Feb precipitation days = 6 | Mar precipitation days = 8 | Apr precipitation days = 9 | May precipitation days = 11 | Jun precipitation days = 10 | Jul precipitation days = 7 | Aug precipitation days = 8 | Sep precipitation days = 6 | Oct precipitation days = 8 | Nov precipitation days = 9 | Dec precipitation days = 6 | year precipitation days = |source 1 = Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale{{cite web | url = https://www.isprambiente.gov.it/files/pubblicazioni/SA_55_14_Valori_climatici_normali.pdf | title = Valori climatici normali di temperatura e precipitazione in Italia | publisher = Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale | access-date = 26 November 2024 | archive-date = 22 December 2024 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20241222224710/https://www.isprambiente.gov.it/files/pubblicazioni/SA_55_14_Valori_climatici_normali.pdf | url-status = live | source 2 = Enea-Casaccia (precipitation){{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305162952/http://clisun.casaccia.enea.it/profili/tabelle/084%20%5BSal%C3%B2%5D%20capoluogo.Txt |archive-date=2016-03-05 | url = http://clisun.casaccia.enea.it/profili/tabelle/084%20%5BSal%C3%B2%5D%20capoluogo.Txt | title = Climate data for Salò, Lake Garda | publisher=Enea-Casaccia | access-date = 26 November 2024}} Climi e viaggi (precipitation days){{cite web | url = https://www.climieviaggi.it/clima/italia/lago-garda | title = Clima - Lago Garda (Veneto) | publisher = Climi e viaggi | access-date = 26 November 2024 | archive-date = 30 November 2024 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20241130222116/https://www.climieviaggi.it/clima/italia/lago-garda | url-status = live
References
References
- "The World Gazetteer".
- "Terramica - There's More to See". Terramica.eu.
- "Hotel Salò Lago di Garda - Hotel Eden 3 stelle sul lago di Garda". Hoteledensalo.it.
- Verona submitted to Venice only 1405, the control of a separated territory like Salò at the time was not easy.
- [http://www.saloweb.it/en/salo/history.asp] {{dead link. (December 2014)
- This denomination, coming from the Latin name of the lake, ''Lacus Benacus'', was used only for a short period.
- "The history of Salò". Lago di Garda Magazine.
- Zani, Vito. (2010). "Gasparo Cairano". La Compagnia della Stampa.
- "[http://www.comune.salo.bs.it/content/download/1459/11215/version/2/file/popolazione+scolastica.pdf SITUAZIONE ANNO SCOLASTICO 2015/2016]{{Dead link. (January 2026)
- "[http://www.comune.salo.bs.it/Menu-principale/Vivere-in-Citta/Biblioteca Biblioteca] {{Webarchive. link. (27 February 2017 ." Salò. Retrieved on 26 February 2017.)
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::