Lazise

Lazise is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Verona in the Italian region Veneto, located about 120km west of Venice and about 20km northwest of Verona. It is situated on the eastern shore of Lake Garda. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 6,213 and an area of 65.0km².The municipality of Lazise contains the frazioni (subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) Colà and Pacengo.Lazise borders the following municipalities: Bardolino, Bussolengo, Castelnuovo del Garda, Padenghe sul Garda, Pastrengo, Peschiera del Garda and Sirmione.HistoryIts name derives from the Latin “lacus” which means lacustrine village. Lazise in fact was originally a group of stilt houses beyond that Roman village and market. Between 888 and 961, during the reign of Berengar II of Italy and his son, the town was subject only to the monarch, that is, it was a “free villa” not subject to some feudatory. In 961, Italy was invaded by German troops, who descended the valley of the Adige to camp on the shores of Garda.