History

Some studies about the territory have established that, during the Neolithic period,  not well identified different populations lived in the areas of the plain of the River Sarca, founding, in the Bronze and Iron Age new settlements.

In the twelfth century Arco underwent the domain of a noble Family from Bavaria, who conquered the castle, probably erected by Theodoric (454-526), obtaining by the official feudal investiture of Arco by Bishop of Trento, Altemanno (12th century).

Then, Arco was one of the places affected by historical events that took place between the eleventh century and the thirteenth century among the various of the Ezzelini family members, until their final defeat, occurred in 1260.

In the following centuries the village, after being repeatedly looted and burned, became the domain of the Visconti, Scala and Republic of Venice. Arco was then attached to the Austrian Empire and will be only after the end of World War I that it will be part of the Kingdom of Italy (1918).

Etymology

Arco has probably a Roman origins; some scholars of the nineteenth century were inclined to believe that the city was the ancient "Sarraca" or "Carraca", but it was questioned by more recent studies. As regards the etymology, the most accredited hypothesis is that it name derives from "Arx" ("fortress"): "[...] Arco is derived from 'arx', we see some traces of Gallic influence, as 'Arcobrigo', 'Arco Villa', 'Arco' in the Occitan language, meaning 'tower', 'rock' [...]" (See “Archivio per L'Alto Adige” [“Archive for South Tyrol”], Vol. 18, 1923: 670). In the same "Archive" is also explained, citing Duchange, what we are to understand by the term "arx": "[...] Aedificium in modo arcis munitum, in quo annona e suppellex quaevis tempore belli recondebatur [... ] "[p. 678] (or: "A building like a fortified castle, where people took refuge for a time in periods of war, and which was equipped with furniture and food").