San Rocco di Piegara is a frazione of Roverè Veronese (VR) which is one of the 13 ancient Cimbrian towns. Roverè Veronese has been an autonomous municipality since the 14th century. Etymology and history The name San Rocco (Saint Roch) comes from a vote made by the population to the saint of Montpellier (who lived in the first half of the fourteenth century), who is the plague protector, during the plague of 1630–31. Piegara, the older toponym, perhaps derives from 'pegara' (a place full of traces left by cows). Geography The village of San Rocco di Piegara lies on the lower Lessini Mountains, on the ridge between the Squaranto valley and the Mezzane valley, in a quite flat area where you can see the typical landscape of Lessinia. It can be reached through the provincial road SP-35 that begins in Montorio, about 6 km northeast of Verona. Along the way from south to north one meets the villages of Trezzolano and Cancello. From San Rocco continuing along the SP-35 one reaches San Vitale in Arco (4 km), which is also a frazione of Roverè, whilst turning east one finds San Mauro di Saline (5 km). The altitude at the village square is 640 m AMSL. The Parish Church The first chapel built by the Counts Azzini dates back to the seventeenth century, although an earlier church may have preceded it. In the first half of the seventeenth century Piegara became independent from Cancello and subjected to the parish of Roverè, while in 1744 it became an independent parish. The current church, dedicated to St. Rocco was constructed at the end of the seventeenth century after a fire destroyed the original structure. It opened for worship in 1875 and was completed in 1911 with a Corinthian facade. Today it features a central altar from the seventeenth century, four side altars of baroque style and preserves a valuable painting of the Madonna of the Rose painted by Domenico Maccacaro in 1600. Of great interest is the canvas with St. Charles Borromeo (kneeling before the crucifix and moving towards the Council of Trento), with an enrollment of 1630, placed between the two altars on the right of the church, painted by Lorenzo Bertafino. The bell tower was built in 1888, although the modern cusp dates to 1952. The 'Contrade' The 'contrade' are the typical districts of the settlement of the Lessini Mountains, consisting