Poggio Rusco, comune in Lombardy, Italy
Poggio Rusco is a small town in the Province of Mantua in Lombardy, surrounded by flat fields and quiet roads. The historic center features the 15th century Palazzo Gonzaga and the Torre Falconiera tower, while the modern town structure remains simple and walkable.
Poggio Rusco was known as Corte del Poggio in the Middle Ages and remained part of the Bishop of Mantua's lands before the Gonzaga family gained influence. The center became a trade and legal hub under Gonzaga rule, as reflected in the preserved 15th century buildings.
The name Poggio Rusco means rough hill, referring to the town's slightly raised position in the flat plain. The carnival festival called Carnasciale Podiense shapes cultural life each February, bringing together colorful masks, music, and local traditions that draw visitors from nearby areas.
The center is easy to explore on foot, as all historic buildings and squares are close together. A train station connects the town to Mantua and Verona, while the flat landscape makes walking pleasant with no steep paths.
Near Dragoncello stands a monument to paratroopers from Operation Harring in 1945, the only one of its kind in Italy honoring this military group. A local legend surrounds Stoppiaro involving a mysterious bone in a church that is said to leak a strange liquid once every few hundred years.
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