Crema, Lombardy
Crema
Crèma (Lombard) | |
---|---|
Città di Crema | |
UTC+2 (CEST) | |
Postal code | 26013 |
Dialing code | 0373 |
Patron saint | Saint Pantaleo |
Saint day | 10 June |
Website | Official website |
Crema (Italian:
Crema's main economic activities traditionally (since the 11th century) related to agriculture, cattle breeding and making wool, but its manufactures in later centuries include cheese, iron products and cotton and wool textiles.
History
Crema's origins have been linked to the
Crema first appears in historical documents in the 11th century as a possession of the counts of Camisano. It was then ruled by
In 1159, after it had signed an alliance with
After the Peace of Constance (1183) the city was allowed to be rebuilt as a castrum ("castle"). Henry VI gave it back to his allied Cremonese. A period as a free Commune followed, during which, however, the tendency to partisan struggles, typical of the northern Italian communes of that age, soon showed. In any case, the city was reinforced with new walls, ditches and gates (1199), and a network of canals further improved agriculture. In the 13th century Crema was also enriched with its famous cathedral and the Palazzo Pretorio.
The communal independence ended in 1335, when the city surrendered to Gian Galeazzo Visconti, whose family held the city until the end of the century. In 1361 Crema was touched by the Black Death. A brief period of rule by the Guelph Benzoni family followed (Bartolomeo and Paolo from 1403 to 1405, then their nephew Giorgio until 1423). The seignory passed again to the Visconti, and, from 1449 onwards, to the Republic of Venice.
As a Venetian inland province, Crema obtained numerous privileges and was safe from the economic decline of the nearby Duchy of Milan under Spanish rule. It maintained a substantial level of autonomy, which allowed for a program of new buildings. These included a new line of walls, the rebuilding of the Palazzo Comunale (1525–1533), the Palazzo della Notaria, now Palazzo Vescovile.
The 17th century saw the beginning of the decadence of the city, caused by the decline of its industrial activities, although agriculture continued to flourish. In 1796 an Academy of Agriculture was founded. After the
By the 1859
Main sights
Crema's most famous historical sights are:
- Cathedral, in Lombard-Gothic style, with a tall bell-tower completed in 1604;
- Civic museum;
- Church of Santa Maria della Croce (St. Mary of the Cross), built in 1493–1500 by Giovanni Battagio;
- Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall);
- Palazzo Pretorio, with the annexed medieval tower;
- Palazzo Vescovile;
- Palazzo Benvenuti Arrigoni Albergoni;
- Santissima Trinità church.
Many other sights, such as minor churches and private palaces, are dislocated through the city center.
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Santissima Trinità church
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Palazzo Terni Gregori
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Palazzo Vescovile, official residence of the bishop
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Torrazzo
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Porta Ombriano, western city gate
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Porta Serio, eastern city gate
Culture
Civic Museum of Crema
The Civic Museum of Crema, established in the 1960, is located in the Renaissance convent of Sant ‘Agostino.
Cuisine
This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2021) |
The
Also worth mentioning is the salva, a DOP cheese typical of the Crema area, traditionally consumed with tighe (green Lombard pepper), packaged in vinegar.
Poor dish typically consumed in winter, accompanied by cotechino (gelatinous pork sausage in a natural casing) or boiled meat, is pipèto (flan of cabbage, butter, garlic, parmesan, nutmeg).
The main sweets of the city are the treccia d'oro, the Bertolina cake (Bertulina), a popular autumn cake made with red grapes, to which a square festival is also dedicated, and the noblest Spongarda, consumed throughout the year.
Moreover, in time of Carnival, chisulì are prepared, balls filled with a mixture prepared with lemon peel, brewer's yeast, raisins, apple and lard.[3]
People
- Francesco Cavalli (1602-1676), composer
- Giovanni Giacomo Barbelli (1604–1656), painter
- Lodovico Benvenuti (1899–1966), politician
- Giovanni Bottesini (1821–1889), composer
- Luca Guadagnino (b. 1971), film director, lives in Crema[4][5] (his movie, Call Me by Your Name, was filmed here in 2016)
- Giovanni Battista Lucini (1639–1686), painter
- Carlo Martini (1908–1958), painter
- Giuseppe Doldi (b. 1950), footballer
- Beppe Severgnini (b. 1956), writer and journalist
- Giovanni Vailati (1815–1890), classical mandolinist
- Cesare Alpini (b. 1956), art historian
- Giovanni Cesare Pagazzi (b. 1965), archbishop
- Andrea Marcolongo (b. 17 January 1987), writer
Transport
Crema is served by a railway station on the Treviglio–Cremona railway, with regional trains.
There were three national roads connecting the city: SS 415 to Milan and Cremona; SS 591 to Piacenza and Bergamo; and SS 235 to Brescia and Pavia. The nearest motorway exits are the one of Lodi-Pieve Fissiraga, on the Autostrada A1 and the one of Romano di Lombardia on the Autostrada A35 - BreBeMi, opened in July 2014.
In popular culture
The film Call Me by Your Name (2017) was shot primarily in Crema. Several historical locations in the surrounding streets in Crema and Pandino were chosen during production, including the Crema Cathedral.
Municipal Government
Since local government political reorganization in 1993, Crema has been governed by the City Council of Crema. Voters elect directly the councilors and the Mayor of Crema every five years.
The current Mayor of Crema is Fabio Bergamaschi (PD), elected on 26 June 2022 with 58% of votes.
This is a list of the mayors of Crema since 1993:
Mayor | Term start | Term end | Party | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cesare Giovinetti | 6 December 1993 | 1 December 1997 | LN | |
Claudio Ceravolo | 1 December 1997 | 28 May 2007 | DS | |
Bruno Bruttomesso | 28 May 2007 | 21 May 2012 | LN | |
Stefania Bonaldi | 21 May 2012 | 27 June 2022 | PD | |
Fabio Bergamaschi | 27 June 2022 | Incumbent | PD |
Sister cities
References
- ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- Istat
- ^ Cammilleri.
- ^ "Guadagnino superstar a Crema Ecco i luoghi del film da Oscar". 8 February 2018.
- ^ Thomas, Dana (August 2016). "One Italian Filmmaker's Ultimate Set — His Own Home". The New York Times.
Bibliography
Rino Cammilleri, Tutti i giorni con Maria, calendario delle apparizioni, Milano, Ares, 2020, ISBN 978-88-815-59-367.