Did you know that Gambarare is a part of Mira? We are now in Gambarare. This is one of Mira’s several hamlets.
Mira itself sits in the Metropolitan City of Venice. It is in the Veneto region. Mira is the eleventh most populous town in Veneto.
Let’s journey back to the Middle Ages. Mira was founded by boat people on the river. It was first named Cazoxana. Later, the name changed to Mira. It honored San Nicolo’ from Mira. He was the patron saint of people working on inland waters.
The Riviera del Brenta includes Mira. In the past, Venetians loved this area. They built many villas here. Napoleon even stayed at Villa Cantarini dei Leoni.
Mira has changed over time. River trade was once its lifeblood. Now tourism thrives with river cruises.
Mira’s territory extends into the Venice lagoon. This lagoon area features islets and canals. It makes up a third of Mira’s surface.
Many waterways crisscross the municipality. The Brenta Canal is one of them.
Mira has ancient roots. The historian Livy wrote about it in 302 BC. He described beaches and lagoons near the Adriatic Sea. He saw fields and a wide river. This sounds like the Venice lagoon near Mira.
Cazoxana described Mira’s location long ago. It was between woods and pastures. In the Middle Ages, it became a river port. Boatmen used it to connect Venice to the Brenta Riviera. The only way to cross the river was by boat. These boats were called burchielli.
Between the 1100s and 1200s, Cazoxana became Mira. This honored Myra in Lycia. Saint Nicholas of Bari was the archbishop there.
Mira Taglio is one of the most important hamlets. It is where the municipal seat is located. Malcontenta is another well-known hamlet. It lies west of Venice. Mira Vecchia is a medieval site. It once had a duty-free port. Other hamlets include Mira Porte and Oriago.
So Gambarare is more than just a place. It is a piece of Venetian history. A place shaped by rivers trade and the lagoon. A place that played a part in connecting Venice. Gambarare a unique part of the larger story of Venice.