Sellero

Infobox CityIT

---

image_caption= Sellero's panorama
img_coa =sellero-Stemma.png official_name = Comune di Sellero
region = Lombardy
province = Brescia (BS)
elevation_m = 376
area_total_km2 = 13.9
population_as_of = 2001
population_total = 1475
population_density_km2 =113
timezone = CET, UTC+1
coordinates = coord|46|3|21|N|10|20|52|E|region:IT_type:city(1475)
frazioni = Novelle
telephone = 0364
postalcode = 25050
gentilic = Selleresi
saint = Santa Maria Assunta and San Desiderio
day = August 15 and May 15
mayor = Ezio Bartolomeo Laini (since june 14, 2004)
website = [http://www.comune.sellero.bs.it www.comune.sellero.bs.it]

Sellero ("Sèler" in lombard, "Hèler" in camunian dialect) is a commune of 1.503 people in the province of Brescia (far 83 km from Brescia) in the middle Val Camonica.

In his territory there are thousands of rock engravings, including the "Rosa camuna" in Carpene (which is the symbol of Lombardy region). In the commune's territory there are also examples of energy excellence, such as the San Fiorano's underground hydroelectric power (in Scianica) and a biomass tele-heating power.

The commune consisting of the inhabited of Sellero (the most important of the commune) and the frazione of Novelle. Even though it isn't a frazione, is important the Scianica, situated in the valley floor and developed in 70/80 years of last century.

Geography

The commune is situated in the middle Val Camonica, in the province of Brescia.

Close between the near communes (Berzo Demo, Capo di Ponte, Cedegolo and Paisco Loveno), it saw to reduce his territorial extension after the second world war, when gave a lot of his ground, especially mountainous or wooded, at the another communes in the zone (for example the homonym mountain is in the province of Sondrio).

In its territory flows the Oglio river, the fifth Italian river, and his affluent, the Re torrent.

The highest mountain is Elto mountain, which is 2,145 metres high.

History

There are traces of a Camunic village (the rock engraving of "rosa camuna", which is the symbol of Lombardy).But these traces disappear after the Roman conquest (AD 16).

For some studies there was a repopulation during the Middle Ages (there is the church' dedication at Saint Desiderio, which is a Frankish dedication and the name of village in some medieval documents) interrupted by plague in XIV century.

Recently, from 1927 to 1948 the commune joined with Cedegolo, a neighbouring commune.

Population trends, 1861–2001

Source: ISTAT

Interesting places

The two churches of the town, the parish church (Saint Mary) and the ancient church (Saint Desiderio) present some interesting artistic works.

The parish church, finished in 1785, presents an interesting altar in Sicily's and Verona's marble and a portal in Vezza d'Oglio's marble. Also the ancient church, erected by Frankish, can be visited and presents some Pietro di Cemmo's frescos.

Near the "frazione" of Novelle there are the Carona's mines, which can be visited with equipment for speleology.

Economy

Sellero, from 1950 to 1980, was an important industrial town in Valle Camonica, thank to the Scianica's little plain.

The first activity started in 1907 when the Curletti company began the utilization of Carona's mine for the sulphur's mining, and finished in 1951.

With the mines' utilization some people founded the SEFE ("Società Esercizio Forni Elettrici", in English "Society for the management of electric furnaces") which built three furnaces for the calcium carbide's production.

Now the first activity is an iron factory, Riva Acciaio ("Riva Iron").