The Lombardy or Lombardia region of Italy occupies a major portion of the northern Po River valley between the Tincio and Mincio rivers. It is bordered by the Alps and Switzerland to the north and Emilia-Romagna to the south. Lombardy is home to Italys famous lakes Maggiore, Como and Garda that lie at the foot of the Alps. Piedmonte and Valle DAosta border Lombardy to the west and the Veneto and Alto-Adige regions on the east. Not only is Lombardy an agricultural center, but an industrial and commercial one, as Milan is an international center of business and fashion. In its history Lombardy has seen various waves of inhabitants from the Gauls, Etruscans and eventually Romans. The city of Milan was briefly the capital of the Western Roman Empire in the 4th century but was overlooked by the conquering Lombards who, besides giving their name to the region, made Pavia the center of their kingdom. After Charlemagne the towns of Lombardy grew wealthy and independent, becoming city-states that eventually would have to band together to quell the ambitions of the Holy Roman Empire.
