At the meeting-point of Venetia, Emilia and Lombardy. Pile-dwel-lings and other remains indicate that the area was inhabited in ancient times. After being a Longobard and Frankish centre, it was con-quered by the Venetians, at the beginning of the 16th cent. They raised a fortress here, de-signed by Michele Sanmicheli (1484-1559), to act as a defensive stronghold against Mantua and Ferrara.
The Duomo, rebuilt between 1773 and 1814, has a neo-Classical interior, and con-tains a 14-15th cent. polychrome statue of the Pieta. The Museum is housed in the Palazzo Fioroni, and is divided into various sections. There is a collection of weapons and fire-arms, barbarian farming implements, 15-16th cent. ceramics, 17th cent. furniture and historical relics from the Risorgimento.
