LOOK TO THE NORTH !
In the beautiful area of Monferrato, part of the Region of Piemonte, in the North West of Italy a new generation of farmers and wine producers are delivering great wine and even better food in a setting of spectacular beautywhilst adhering to the traditional values of a land rich in culture and history |
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Monferrato is an extraordinary region within Piemonte. It encompasses Val Cerrina, with its beautiful hills and valleys, the magnificent Sanctuary within the Sacro Monte di Crea, extending up to Valenza, the world capital of Jewellery, then on into the River Po Natural Park. According to legend a young French artist arrived one day in Monferrato and was admiring the landscape from the top of the Tower of Lu . He saw the villages peppering the landscape with vineyards and farms as far as the eye could see.With surprise he realized there were no forests in Monferrato. There were only the hills, farms, villages and vineyards. It is no surprise then, to find that the people from this agricultural region are industrious, fiercely proud of their land and history yet, warm, friendly and easy going. Around the middle of the 10th Century, Ottone 1st was the German emperor. His daughter Alasia fell in love with Aleramo, who unfortunately was very poor. Ottone did not approve of the choice but Alasia him to find a solution to the problem. |
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BelvedereFubine, panoramic walk |
The Emperor summoned Aleramo and told him “All the land you can cover in a three days ride will be yours”. Aleramo rode his mount so hard, in an effort to secure as much land as possible, wore out the metal horseshoes and shod the horse with brick to complete the journey, and so the Monferrato region was defined in “settantadue ore” (72 hours). The name comes from the Italian Mon, from mattone, meaning brick, and ferrato, meaning shod, in honor of Aleramos' choice of footwear for his steed.From that point on, the forests started to disappear, giving way to the farms, vineyards, vegetable and fruit gardens, so creating the calm and tidy landscape we see today. |
above: Lu, historical tower |
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This region is the birthplace of some famous people including Umberto Eco, author of “The Name of the Rose” who, although born in Alessandria , still considers himself a Monferrino. The town of Alessandria is actually on the flat land just outside Monferrato, however, borders being considered cultural rather than physical, the latter is not always strictly adhered to. Asti is another border town, which was an important and independent centre long before the Monferrato region became unified during the reign of the Aleramo dynasty in 1300. The Astigiano area is a wedge that divides the Monferrato Torinese (close to Turin ) from the Monferrato Casalese (close to Casale). The history of Monferrato was not always a prosperous one. In the years between 1950 and 1970 it became an economically depressed area, with its population moving from the villages to the cities (Milano, Torino , Genova) in order to work in factories. From the middle of the 1980's however, the situation reversed, some people had amassed a small fortune during their years in the cities and returned to their roots. They invested their newfound wealth in the growing Tourism and Winemaking Industries. |
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The best way to get a flavour of Monferrato is to drive as the roads take you through the hills; we have chosen a few villages which have particularly magnificent panoramic view points and interesting architecture. The suggested route traced on the map starts in Casale which, with its 37.000 habitants, is the capital of Monferrato, a city rich in history, culture and tradition as demonstrated by the palazzi built in the 18 th century that have been visited by the rich and famous, people like Saint Luigi Gonzaga, Napoleon and Cesare Pavese (one of Piemonte's most famous writers). The historical center is the best witness of the important history if the town, with the Castle of the Paleologi family, the civic tower built in 11 th century, the cathedral, one of the most beautiful example of late gothic architecture in Piemonte, the palazzo of via Mameli, with the elegant example of baroque casalese of palazzo treville, the Synagogue in the Jewish ghetto. At the end of the 19 th century Casale became the “capital of concrete” with a huge factory producing it, and during the 20 th century developed the industry for white appliances and print technology.
Camino The castle of Camino was built in the 11 th century, with later additions during the 14 th century and further restorations during 18 th and 19 th centuries. It is located at the top of the cliff to the right hand side of the River Po. It is worth visiting the castle and its park for the view alone. From the Centre of Camino follow the signs for Fabiano and then for: Serralunga di Crea The Santuario di Crea is located in a Natural Park, at 455m high, on a terrace that has Monferrato on the west side and the P ianura Padana on the east side. Inside the Park a path connects the 26 small chapels and 5 romiti (chapels hidden in the forest). The construction of the complex started in 1500, but all the chapels had all the frescos renewed during the 19 th century. The theme is a religious path through the Mistery of the Rosary and is very popular within the people of Piemonte that visit the Sanctuary once a year as a Pilgrimage. From Serralunga di Crea reach the Strada Casale-Asti to reach: Cereseto The name comes from the Cherry trees (ciliegi) that surround the area. Situated at the top of the hill is a castle constructed during the first ten years of the 20 th century and entirely based on the theories of the architect Viollet le Duc and funded by a local rich businessman. The construction of this massive and intricate building took more than ten years and although the exercise was much criticized by the Architectural community is worth seeing for its sheer size and amazing views. From the centre of Cereseto follow the signs for: Moncalvo
On the side of the village towards Casale are the remains of the walls of the fortress constructed in 19 th century, with its massive towers. It is still possible to walk on the walls and enjoy the view from the top of the guard tower. The Chiesa of san Francesco is worth visiting for the paintings of one of Monferrato's most famous painters, Guglielmo Caccia (1593-1625), who also painted the chapels of the Sacro Monte di Crea. The Church of the Madonna delle Rose by the Architect Magnocavallo, designer of many of the beautiful churches found scattered across the hills of Monferrato, is also well worth a visit. From Cereseto follow the signs for Ottiglio and then for: Casorzo Casorzo still has the remains of the towns' historic walls and towers, which enjoy a magnificent view. The village is famous for its wine, Malvasia which is sweet, red, with an intense rose bouquet. From Casorzo take the Strada Provinciale Casorzo-Ottiglio and continue along Strada Provinciale Moncalvo-Alessandria , then follow the signs for: Vignale The road taking you to Vignale proceeds up the hill and offers the best view of the village and only like this is it possible to admire the intricate layout of buildings, churches, towers, houses and paths that form the village. Its name is derived from Vinealis, land of the wine. The Palazzo Conti Callori was built during the 18 th century and follows the local tradition of mixing Tufo and bricks in the neoclassical style, very pure and austere, is nowadays the Enoteca Regionale del Monferrato, the Monferrato center for wine tasting. The Church of the Beata Vergine, with its façade of cotto, and the Convento of Servi di Maria have dominated the hillside since 1400 when they were constructed in the Lombardo Gothic style. It is one of the most thriving centers in monferrato, as it hosts Vignale Danza, a dance festival that occurs every summer. From Vignale follow the signs for Cuccaro and then for: Lu This is our final destination. The village was founded by the Romans and its name is derived from one of two possible roots; either from Locus ( holy forest), or from the symbol LV , legio quinta , the insignia of the fifth legion of Caesar which stopped there on its way back from the campaigns in Gallia . Lu is a very small village but has 9 churches, as its' population was historically very religious. The Church of Santa Maria Nuova is perhaps the most remarkable of all and was constructed in 1479 with several later additions. The façade is constructed of brick with clean lines; inside the decoration is baroque and includes the painting of the Canonici di Lu by Guala. The tower of Lu was built in the 15 th century by the Paleologi Family as a part of a massive scheme of defensive towers that were built all over Monferrato. The view from the Belvedere in front of the Town is spectacular, we would recommend shopping for the excellent local wine and enjoying a delightful meal in the local restaurants, which serve many examples of the traditional cuisine including Vitello Tonnato, Grilled Peppers and Anchovies, Agnolotti (local filled pasta), tajarin (hand made pasta), Bollito Misto, Bunet, filled peaches…. You are spoilt for choice. All served with the local white and red wines, like Barbera, Grignolino, Freisa, Malvasia, Cortese will surprise you with their variety and quality. The very traditional Krumiri are biscuits made of butter, eggs, sugar and flour. Domenico rossi invented them in 1870 in Casale, in a very busy caffe in Piazza Mazzini. It is a very temperamental biscuit, every Krumiro is different from the other and its' shape reminds the mustache of Vittorio Emanuele II, at the time King of Italy. Monferrato is a land which captivates inhabitants and visitors alike and with a beautiful change of seasons, many, who come to visit, end up remaining forever.
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FACT FILE
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WHERE TO EAT: La Commedia della Pentola, A family run restaurant with high class cuisine. Cycling tours around the area are offered, with three different levels of difficulty. Organized tours of Monferrato and Liguria are available. Pizzeria La Trinita Tenuta San Martino
PROPERTIES: WEDDINGS: TOURIST INFORMATION: |
WHAT TO SEE: the best way to get a flavour of Monferrato is to drive as the roadstake you through the hills and all have magnificent panoramic points.The suggested route traced on the map is only one of many. Air: fly to Turin, Milan or Genova Rail: take a train to Casale from any train station in Italy. Road: From Milano: From Genova:
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WINES OF MONFERRATO Reds: Barbera: Grignolino: Whites: Chardonnay: WHERE TO BUY Cantina Sociale di Lu Monferrato Casalone Vini Cantina dei Colli di Crea
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The Italian Magazine Issue 09 September 2005