Curiosity
Colorno celebrates the passage of Giuseppe Garibaldi
On the morning of 12th April, 1862 Giuseppe Garibaldi see foot in Colorno coming from Parma and headed to Casalmaggiore. He did not sty long, just for a quick stop to say hello to the town and then away to the land beyond the Po. The Municipality did not pay attention to expenses and built a triumphal arch at the entrance of the town, decorates the square, organized a plentiful breakfast fo nine people at the hotel Della Posta (six coachmen, one groom and two coaches), and a refreshment with sweets and “sciampagna”. To welcome the General there were the major Giovanni Maria Levacher, the council member Antonio Chevé and many other notables. The people welcomed him with great enthusiasm and a young woman, exited by his words of incitement to the fatherland, asked him if she could cut off a lock of his hair. She was satisfied (it seems she was the daughter of the chemist Bocelli, who had fought with Garibaldi). It is not the only relic belonging to the General and present in the civic collection: there is the sabre donated to the General by the French Government for the help given in the Prussian war with the Vosges Campaign (1870-71), received in Colorno through his doctor, timoteo Riboli (1808-1897). Colorno will later demonstrate its admiration for Garibaldi by dedicating to him the main square of the town and a plaque that is still seen in the same square, dated June 2, 1900, and in memory of the desth occurred in Caprera on June 2, 1882.
