Badia Polesine
Badia Polesine takes its name from the Abbey of Vangadizza, the Benedictine monastery founded before the year 1000 through the don...
Updated 11 July 2026
The story
The story of Badia Polesine
History and origins
The name Vangadizza comes from the reclamation work carried out with the spade, or vanga, on marshy land often struck by Adige floods. The abbey's founding is tied to the donations of Marquis Almerico of Mantua and his wife Franca, the last of which, dated 954, marks a key stage in the monastery's origins. In the first half of the thirteenth century, Camaldolese monks succeeded the Benedictines, remaining in charge of the abbey until its suppression by the Republic of Venice in 1789, followed by the confiscation of its assets and, in 1810, its final Napoleonic suppression.
What to see
The Abbey of Vangadizza remains the town's defining monument: though diminished from its fifteenth-century splendor, it preserves elements of historical and architectural significance that testify to the importance it achieved in medieval times. Around the abbey complex, the historic center of Badia Polesine has grown, with buildings and churches that reflect the town's long relationship with its founding religious institution.
Nature and surroundings
Badia Polesine stands on the right bank of the Adige, whose embankments offer cycling and walking routes through the Polesine countryside. The surrounding landscape, typical of the western Polesine, alternates intensive farmland with river views, across a flat territory well suited to slow-paced routes between nature and agriculture.
Food, wine and local products
Local cuisine draws on Polesine tradition, with rice, vegetable garden produce and freshwater fish dishes among the most deeply rooted offerings. Badia Polesine is also known locally as a reference point for dining out, skilled at showcasing the simple ingredients of the surrounding countryside.
Events and traditions
The local calendar includes cultural events tied to the abbey's history, as well as markets and village fairs that bring life to the historic center during the warmer months, drawing visitors from neighboring towns in the Polesine and the nearby Verona area.
How to get there and location
Badia Polesine lies in the western Polesine, on the right bank of the Adige, a short distance from Legnago and the border with the province of Verona. It is well connected by the Transpolesana state road and by a rail link joining it to Rovigo and Verona.
Local life and economy
Badia Polesine's economy rests on agriculture, small industry and a commercial sector that makes it a service hub for neighboring towns in the western Polesine. Its position, straddling the provinces of Rovigo and Verona, reinforces its role as a reference center for a largely rural area.
Experiences not to miss
- Visitare i resti dell'Abbazia della Vangadizza e scoprirne la storia millenaria
- Visit the remains of the Abbey of Vangadizza and discover its thousand-year history
To see
What to see in Badia Polesine
Routes · Trovido Route
Routes in Badia Polesine
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