Overlooking the lake, Ledro, in the province of Trento, was officially founded in 2010 and is the union of six existing municipalities (Pieve di Ledro, Bezzecca, Concei, Molina di Ledro, Tiarno di Sopra e Tiarno di Sotto), which once all belonged to the Union of the Municipalities of the Ledro Valley. It is located along the border with Lombardy, between the foothills of the mountain ranges of the Catione, to the South and of Cadria to the North.
Even though embellished by particular historical moments, these six municipalities have always been united by a single historical and political evolution, that led them to be known, over the centuries, with the following names: "Alutraenses" (by Pliny, in reference to the fact that the populations lived between the mighty wings of the Giudicarle and the Garda areas), "Plebs Leutri" (the People of Ledro), "Res Publica Leudri", "Comunitas Leudri", "General Municipality of Ledro".
The valley has been inhabited since ancient times, by different populations: the Ligurians, the Nordalpini, the Gauls, the Euganei and the Venetians. The Romans, after conquering the area, colonized the area and created a rural municipium. After the fall of the Roman Empire succeeded the Lombards who, during their two centuries of domination, contributed to further amalgamate the people who lived in the Valle di Ledro. In 1004 the County of Trentino became part the Holy Roman Empire and, in 1027, Emperor Conrad II granted it to Bishop Uldarico II. Since then, the bishop of Trento preserves the title of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire and, at the time, influenced a spiritual and temporal power over the whole territory. After a particularly dark and ominous century (the XVII century), with its plagues and famines, the XVIII century, thanks to the rule of Maria Theresa of Austria, the territories experienced a particularly happy period, especially from the economic point of view. After the Napoleonic period, in 1813, the lands returned to the Habsburgs and remain under their domain, until the end of World War I, when it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy.
Sites of Interest:
- the Parish Church of Saints Stephen and Lawrence in Bezzecca, built in the XIX century, in Piazza Garibaldi, to replace an older construction, built on the hill of Santo Stefano and which was documented since 1500. Inside is preserved a precious choir of carved walnut, with medallions depicting scenes from the Old and New Testament;
- the small XIV century Church of Saint Lucia "in Pratis" in Bezzecca;
- the tombs and other remains of the Lombard period in Concei;
- the typical stone houses of Tiarno di Sopra;
- Casa Oliari in Tiarno di Sopra, which belonged to a noble Venetian family;
- the small lake of Ampola in Tiarno di Sopra;
- the Roman remains in Tiarno di Sotto;
- the Church of San Bartolomeo, built in 1860 by the architect Claricini; inside is preserved a beautiful XVI century altarpiece realized by the pupils of the school of Tintoretto;
- the small Church of St. George in Tiarno di Sotto;
- a lovely XV century Mill, now seat of a museum;
- the Waterfall "Gorg d'Abyss";
- the Church of St. Michael, in Mezzolago;
- the Museum of the Foletto Pharmacy;
- the ancient Church of the Annunciation (XIII century) in Pieve di Ledro
- the Bronze Age lake-dwelling village of Molina di Ledro, whose remains are now on display at the Museum Lake Dwellings, built in 1972. It has been declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2011;
- the XVIII Church of San Vigilio in Molina di Ledro;
- the Baroque Church of San Francesco di Paola, in Molina di Ledro;
- Casa Zecchini and Casa Demadonna;
- the Garibaldi Museum (Bezzecca, in fact, was scenario of the battle between the troops led by Garibaldi and those of Austria and, here, the Hero of Two Worlds uttered the famous phrase "I obey" to King Vittorio Emanuele.