Alessandria, noble, strategic and historic city of Lower Piedmont at the confluence of the Bormida and Tanaro rivers in a fertile plain on the slopes of the sinuous territory of Monferrato, a centre that since ancient times has been an important cultural-regional crossroads between Piedmont, Lombardy and Liguria.
This city has always been a commercial hub of extreme importance in medieval times as a protectorate of the Visconti Duchy and a very vital center during the glories of the Savoy Kingdom.
This Piedmontese center boasts a historical and monumental heritage visible in its numerous palaces, towers, churches and noble houses erected in different periods that make the visit very interesting.
I recommend starting your journey from the central Piazza della Libertà called in the past "Platea Maior" and later "Piazza d'Armi" during the Napoleonic period.
In this elegant urban space considered the cultural heart of Alessandria, you can admire a statue dedicated to the politician and minister of the Kingdom of Italy, Urbano Rattazzi , surrounded by various refined palaces dating back to the 18th century.
Among them, the Palazzo del Municipio stands out, known as the "Red Palace" for the color of its imposing main façade highlighted by a scenic, large three-dial clock placed on the top and a curious rooster representing the spoils of war stolen from the Casale Monferrato rivals in a battle dating back to 1225.
Another important building you can admire is Palatium Vetus, a palace built in 1170 that was originally the "Broletto", the center of the judicial and administrative bodies in the Middle Ages and today the headquarters of the Banking Institute Fondazione Cassa di Alessandria.
You can also stop in front of the beautiful Palazzo Ghilini, designed in 1733 in Baroque style by the architect Benedetto Alfieri for the Marquis and uncle Tommaso Maria Ghilini and later residence of the Dukes of Savoy who transformed it into one of the royal palaces of the Kingdom of Piedmont and Sardinia and currently the seat of the Provincial and Prefectural Administration.
Continuation with the attractive Piazza Duomo, the square where the Cathedral stands, an ecclesiastical seat with refined neoclassical lines dedicated to Saints Peter and Mark with a wonderful façade of the late 19th century made by the architect Edoardo Arborio Mella.
On its left side you can see a statue of Gagliaudo, a well-known character of Alessandria folklore and carnival mask with a Formaggetta cheese in his hands, a monument that honors that heroic figure who distinguished himself during the city siege fighting with ardor against the troops of Frederick Barbarossa.
Closely linked to it are the statues of the Patron Saints that adorn the drum of the stupendous dome representing the 24 cities that made up the famous Lombard League.
The nearest imposing bell tower boasts a height of 106.0 meters, ranks as the third in Italy after those of Mortegliano and Cremona and contains a concert of bells regulated with sounds in C major.
Afterwards you will reach the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine, a 15th-century masterpiece of the Carmelite Fathers highlighted by a outlined façade with three naves, preserving inside works of great importance ranging from the 16th to the 18th centuries such as a polyptych depicting the Crucifixion with Saints Agatha, Barbara, Lucia and a magnificent painting of the Madonna del Rosario.
The church is also well known for historical events dating back to the Napoleonic period when it became an important Masonic Temple and in 1745 as a military hospital during the War of Succession protagonized by the Austrian Empire.
Time for your lunch to savor the delicious, local cuisine, I recommend to start with an appetizer based on Salumi del Tortonese and Carpione di Zucchini, among the first courses choice between Agnolotti al Brasato or Risotto al Barolo.
As second courses options between Mixed Boiled Meat with Vegetables or Chicken with Marengo and you can enjoy excellent wines from the province such as Dolcetto, Barbera, Cortese and Grignolino.
After your lunch you can enter in the the characteristic village of Rovereto where you can admire the beautiful Church of Santa Maria di Castello dating back to the 15th century.
The building with three naves with late-Romanesque lines and a Renaissance portal was erected on the site where two ancient religious temples were previously built and preserves important Baroque works, a cycle of paintings of the Lombard school attributed to Andrea Zanzani and a group of ten 16th century statues in painted terracotta representing the Deposition.
After that you will enter in the Alessandria Museum nucleus with the Civic Museum housed in Palazzo Cuttica di Cassine erected with neoclassical and baroque forms in the 18th century that narrates the history and culture of the city and the Pinacoteca which exhibits valuable works of art from the fifteenth century and 1900 in its rooms.
Worth mentioning is the Borsalino Hat Museum which pays homage to the fashion industry, a chance to discover iconic items.
Along the Tanaro river you can see the Military Citadel developed in the 18th century by the architect Ignazio Bertola following the orders of King Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy.
The visit to Alessandria ends here in a city to be discovered that offers a lot from a historical and cultural point of view and that will surely reserve pleasant memories and desire to return in the future.
Link : https://www.italia.it/en/piedmont/alessandria
Where to Stay | Recommended Accomodation
La Fornace
Hotel Alli Due Buoi Rossi
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