From few archaeological rests found on the top of the main hill, probably Castelnuovo del Garda was already inhabited during the prehistorical age. During the Roman period, it was first known as Beneventum, and after renamed Quadrivium which literally means 4 roads, or crossroad. Indeed, its location was strategical being at the crossroad between the Via Gallica, and a connection with the Via Claudia Augusta. In the 12th century, Quadrivium has been destroyed by Frederick Barbarossa. Consequentially rebuilt as a fortify town, Quadrivium was renamed Castrum Novum, and the name has remained unchanged with the Italian version Castelnuovo. During the centuries, Castelnuovo passed under different political controls, from the Lord of Verona, the Lord of Milano, the Venetian Republic, the Austrian empire, and eventually becoming part of the Regno d'Italia with the third Italian independence war and the consequential Armistice of Cormons, in the 1866. Only in 1970, Castelnuovo took its actual name Castelnuovo del Garda, to highlight its location close to the lake Garda shores.
On 11 April 1848 Castelnuovo del Garda was almost totally destroyed and burned by the Austrian empire army, during the first Italian independence war. That day, 400 men of the fought against 3000 Austrian soldiers, which consequentially burned the city killing around 89 local citizens as reprisal for the revolutionary actions that were taking place in the region. The Austrian army was headed by the field marshal Joseph Radetzky, who was serving in Verona, and the commander Whillerm Thurn. The Italian Volontari had being sent by the major Luciano Manara and commanded by Agostino Noaro.
Main Historical Sites
The tower of Castelnuovo, built by the Lord of Milano – 14th century
Festa dell'uva, the most important event in Castelnuovo del Garda is the wive festival that takes place every year at the end of the summer, usually a weekend in the mid-September. It is a celebration of the historically most important economic sector of the region: the wine production. During the festival, several local producers present their wine and participate to a competition for the best wine of the year. In addition, several cultural and historical exhibition are taking place during the whole weekend.
Festa della Bandiera. The third Sunday of June the municipality celebrates an event occurred 24 June 1866, during the third Italian independence war. In the specific, in the municipality district Oliosi, a group of soldiers remained surrounded by the enemy and decided to divide the flag between each other in order to avoid to give to the enemy.
