USEFUL INFORMATION
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MARKET DAY: Tuesday
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PORT: Porto Centrale - Piazza Maestro Giulio
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STATION: Viale Stazione, 18
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PHARMACIES: Castelnuovo - Piazza della Libertà, 10; Cavalcaselle - Via XX Settembre, 99; Gardesana - Via Alberto Montini, 2; Pietropoli - Via Emilio Salgari, 5
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HOSPITAL: P. Pederzoli - Via Monte Baldo, 2
HISTORY
Castelnuovo del Garda stretches across the moraine hills and only overlooks a small portion of the lake shore. The mild hilly climate allows for a luxuriant growth of olive trees, cypresses and vines, making it not only the realm of lovers of good food and drink but also of entertainment, having one of the most beautiful parks in Italy.
Archaeological finds prove that the area has been inhabited since prehistoric times.
The first known name was 'Beneventum', transformed into 'Quadrivium' by the Romans due to its location in the quadrilateral Verona, Brescia, Mantua and Trento.
Its history tells us that it was often the site of clashes. In 1154 it was razed to the ground by the troops of Frederick Barbarossa, who built a new fortress called 'Castrum-Novum', which later became Castelnuovo.
The municipality passed under various dominions, from the Seignory of the Scaligeri to that of the Visconti, from the Republic of Venice to the Austrian Empire.
The terrible battle of 11-12 April 1848, when the village was set on fire by the Austrian troops sent by Radetzky, and the bloody assault of 11 July on the Lombard Volunteers by the three thousand adversaries equipped with artillery and cavalry, are recalled.
It was given its current name in 1970 and hosts the 'Festa della Bandiera' event on the third Sunday in June in memory of the battle that took place in the Third War of Independence. Given the presence of vineyards for centuries and being the territory of Custoza wine and Bardolino D.O.C., the crowded 'Festa dell'Uva' (Grape Festival) is held every year in memory of the ancient ceremony of the collective crushing of the 'Moro del Castel' wine.
