Town

The Town

Romagnese, a pleasant village located in the Alta Val Tidone, represents an important part of the Mountain Community of Oltrepò Pavese, as well as a precious holiday destination in both summer and winter thanks to its uncontaminated nature. Its administrative hub is located at approximately 630 m altitude, while the highest points reach up to 1250 m.
The municipality of approximately 700 inhabitants is located on the border between the provinces of Pavia and Piacenza and counts among its neighbors the municipalities of Menconico, Zavattarello, Varzi, Bobbio, Nibbiano and Pecorara.


The History of Romagnese

Named for the first time by written sources in the 7th century, the origin of the ancient Roman settlement (Castrum Romaniense), tradition has it that the village was founded by some groups of Roman legionaries fleeing following the bitter defeat against the Hannibal's troops along the Trebbia river during the Second Punic War (218 BC).
During the Lombard era, Romagnese was a transit land for San Colombano who, crossing the Sassi Neri pass, reached Bobbio where he founded his abbey. About three centuries later, Romagnese became a stop of the Translatio Sancti Columbani, or the the procession that transported the relics of the saint from Bobbio to Pavia by will of the King of Italy Hugo of Provence.

The city of Piacenza and the Diocese of Bobbio played an important role in the political structure of the village. Romagnese became part of the extensive possessions administered by the Diocese of Bobbio, given by Lombard or Carolingian nobles and endowed with broad autonomy recognized by Charlemagne. In the first half of the 14th century, Piacenza extended its dominion over Romagnese and other neighboring villages, granting the fiefdom to the Ghibelline Ubertino Landi, known as "miles placentinus" following ecclesiastical and imperial investiture respectively from the Bishop of Bobbio and Louis of Bavaria in 1327.
Starting from the second half of the 14th century, the struggles between municipalities and between the Guelph and Ghibelline parties gave a certain administrative and fiscal independence to the fiefdom. In order not to jeopardize this new autonomy, the lordship of the Visconti of Milan was elected protector of the fiefdom. In 1383 Duke Gian Galeazzo Visconti granted the fief of Romagnese as a gift to the leader Jacopo Dal Verme, who promulgated between 1395 and 1409 the "Statutes of the Municipality of Romagnesio", a code of civil and criminal laws which had a beneficial effect on the social and economic life of Romagnese.  Under the Dal Verme lordship, Romagnese experienced a flourishing period of territorial and economic expansion, thanks to the concessions of the Viscontis. This prosperity came to an abrupt end due to the Renaissance wars that shook the entire peninsula from 1494. In 1546, Romagnese was besieged and occupied by the Lord of Piacenza Pier Luigi Farnese, later returning under the Dal Verme control until the 19th century.
In the following centuries, the wars of succession and the European policy of balance transferred control of the Alta Val Tidone first to Austria and later to the Kingdom of Sardinia. The occupation by Napoleon's Grand Armée in the first half of the 19th century created strong discontent due to the harsh methods and rigid regime of the French army.

The village was hit by a tragic cholera epidemic in 1867 which caused more than two hundred victims among the inhabitants. This crisis contributed to intensifying emigration, which saw many inhabitants leave for France, Argentina, Brazil, Switzerland, Belgium and other countries.
Romagnese was the protagonist of violent clashes between the troops of the Republic of Salò and partisan formations during the Second World War. One of the most dramatic episodes of 1944 was the bloody raid carried out by the 162nd Turkestan Division, composed mainly of soldiers of Mongolian, Kyrgyz and Kalmyk origins. Theater of notable and numerous episodes of partisan struggle, Romagnese represents a prominent place in the ideal map of the Italy of the Resistance.


The Easter cycle

Every year, Romagnese renews the tradition of the Easter Triduum, an evocative event that unites faith and folklore, deeply involving the entire community. The celebration takes place over three days and includes religious rites and popular events that enliven the village and its surroundings. The event starts on Thursday evening with a suggestive procession that starts from the parish church of Romagnese and heads towards the oratory of Casa Picchi. During the route, moments from Jesus' climb to Mount Calvary are performed. A characteristic and symbolic element of this procession is the presence of an anonymous, hooded figure carrying the Cross on his shoulders, evoking an atmosphere of reflection and solemnity.

The celebration continues on Friday with the Holy Mass in the parish church, followed by the Via Crucis which passes through the streets of Romagnese. This solemn moment is enriched by the bonfires lit in the different hamlets of the village, which contribute to creating a mystical and evocative atmosphere.

The last day, Saturday, is dedicated to the traditional celebration of the popular songs of the "Galina Grisa". This event involves numerous groups of singers and musicians, coming both from the Town and from other locations, who organize themselves into bands to tour the different hamlets of Romagnese and sing the songs of the local tradition. In exchange, according to ancient custom, they receive eggs from the inhabitants.  The singers then meet around midnight in the Town Hall square, welcomed by the administration, by the Pro Loco volunteers and by fellow villagers to close the evening by cooking enormous omelettes with the eggs received as a gift.

This event not only keeps a centuries-old tradition alive, but strengthens the sense of belonging and cohesion in the village.