Inhabitants in 1991: 5.464
The
municipal territory of Vernio extends for 63,28 square kilometres in the
Valley of the Bisenzio in low, medium and high hills. The municipality
had its origins as a feudal centre and has maintained in time its
aspect of a sparse municipality, reaching its present day aspect in
1984 with the aggregation of two areas removed from the municipality
of Barberino di Mugello.
In ancient times it was an Etruscan settlement and then a Roman Colony,
it probably takes its name from the encampment of the Roman militia directed
in Gallia who had wintered there. At the end of the X century the Vernio
territory was the dominion partly of the Cadolingi Counts di Fucecchio
and partly of the Counts Alberti di Prato, the latter inheriting it
fully at the beginning of the XII century. In 1164 in an investiture certificate
conceded to the Alberto degli Alberti Counts, Emperor Federico Barbarosso
officially instituted Vernio as feudal destined to remain autonomous for
nearly seven centuries. The Alberti maintained possession until 1322
when they sold it to the Fiorentini Palla Strossi and Chiavello Machievelli
for 10,000 florins: the purchase was in fact made on behalf of Piero di
Gualterotto dei Bardi, who installed his Lordship on the land in 1336,
in 1355 Emperor Carlo IV conferred, strictly according to the law,
the name of Imperial Vicars of Vernio on the Fiorentina family dei Bardi.
Vernio remained their Lordship during various events and with a not
florid standard of living, until September 1797 when it was annexed to
the republic Cisalpina installed by Napoleone and united to the departmental
administration of Bologna. The Vienna Congress in 1815 established
that Vernio should be part of the Grand Duchy of Toscana. During
the last war the territory was crossed by the Gothic Line, which brought
destruction and mourning for the population, who actively participated
in the Liberation struggle.
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford |