Sondrio

Sondrio (Latin: Sundrium, Italian: Sondrio, Lombard: Sùndri, Romansh: Sunder) is an Italian town and comune located in the heart of the Valtellina. Sondrio counts approximately 22,000 inhabitants and it is the administrative centre for the Lombard Province of Sondrio. The area of Sondrio was populated in ancient times by the Ligures and, from the 5th century BC, by the Celts. Formerly an Ancient Roman military camp, today's Sondrio was founded by... more

Sondrio (Latin: Sundrium, Italian: Sondrio, Lombard: Sùndri, Romansh: Sunder) is an Italian town and comune located in the heart of the Valtellina. Sondrio counts approximately 22,000 inhabitants and it is the administrative centre for the Lombard Province of Sondrio. The area of Sondrio was populated in ancient times by the Ligures and, from the 5th century BC, by the Celts. Formerly an Ancient Roman military camp, today's Sondrio was founded by the Lombards: in their language Sundrium meant "Exclusive property", referring to the status of free men (arimanni) of the holders of the city and the surrounding land. After the fall of the Lombard Kingdom in Italy, Sondrio became part of the Holy Roman Empire. The Capitanei of Vizzola, who controlled much of the Valtellina, had it in 1040 from the emperor Henry II. From 1310 to 1335 the city was involved in the war between the Guelph and Ghibelline factions of the nearby Como, and its war against Milan. After having resisted several attacks... less