Lomellina, a pleasant land in the Province of Pavia on the border with Piedmont where Cilavegna is located, a center already known in the tenth century, a fief in medieval times of the Principality of Pavia and later a possession of the Visconti and the Taverna Lords.
Located in a flat strip largely occupied by the extensive Bosco Oliva, a protected forest area rich in species of native plants, a place loved by various tourists for long, relaxing walks.
Cilavegna is a locality with a typical agricultural soul with medium-sized textile, mechanical and footwear industrial settlements in a geographical area with a remarkable historical-monumental heritage as well as gastronomic with the famous Cilavegna Asparagus as the protagonist, a vegetable that for its exquisite goodness was already elevated in ancient times as a local symbol, highly appreciated both nationally and internationally.
Once you reached the municipal terms of Cilavegna you can start your visit with the beautiful Parish Church of Saints Peter and Paul erected in the tenth century although modified over the course of its history, acquiring a Baroque profile with a wide, high façade with three naves, a curved tympanum and statues of the Patron Saints that dominate it.
Inside you can appreciate an important canopy still in use for solemn religious processions embellished with decorations and gold panels depicting the life of Jesus Christ and a precious silver monstrance dating back to the eighteenth century handcrafted in embossed and chiseled.
Continuation with the remaining structure of the Castle built as a defensive bulwark of the Parish Church of Cilavegna in 900 to repel the raids of the Hungarians, an emblematic building of the small medieval village and which today houses the Town Hall. Access is through a passage corresponding to a pier and the section that most attracts attention is a majestic tower with large windows and arched portal visible on the west side.
Continuation with the Church of the Nativity of Mary in San Martino also known as "Church of the Cemetery", a structure of medieval origin that has some false Gothic details with some elements of Romanesque matrix preserves in its façade traces of frescoes depicting Saints and Bishops dating back to the fifteenth century although not very visible due to various painting interventions that have covered part of the decorations.
The interior consists of a single nave with a semicircular apse modified in the sixteenth century there are other frescoes of the same period, one reduced to a fragment where you can partially see a face of a Madonna and another developed in 1523 which depicts a Madonna and Child.
Continuation with the Church of Santa Maria, known as the Church of the Madonna del Santo Rosario, erected in the fifteenth century ceded in 1492 to the Dominicans of Prato dell'Olmo but largely reformed in 1640 when it then became the seat of the confraternity of the Holy Rosary in 1660.
Inside, developed in the shape of a Greek cross, there are three altars, one of which is dedicated to St. Joseph and another to the Blessed Bishop of Savona, Alberto Calvi da Cilavegna, whose relics are preserved inside this church.
The main altar has a seventeenth-century imprint with a rich background of gilded stuccoes that frame the statue of the Blessed Vegine Maria. In the church you will notice some niches that contain some wooden and stucco statues depicting St. Catherine of Siena and the prior St. Pius V as well assome seventeenth-century frescoes of the Dominican Saints and Vincenzo Ferreri and a wooden statue of the deceased Jesus.
Afterwards you can visit Church of the Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel, a beautiful religious building of seventeenth-century origin with a single nave with two side chapels. This church was historically the seat of a confraternity devoted to Our Lady of Mount Carmel and then to that of the Blessed Sacrament.
The building has a single nave plan with two side altars, one dedicated to Santa Cecilia and San Carlo and the other to San Antonio and San Fermo, while the marble high altar preserves a statue of the Madonna. Important highlights are a fifteenth-century stoup and a splendid wooden choir.
Continuation with the Church of the Blessed Virgin of Oropa dating back to the 19th erected in honor of the Madonna of the famous Piedmontese Sanctuary conceived in Gothic style although unfinished by Giovanni Del Console who developed a single apse where there is a terracotta altar with the image of the Virgin Mary, a presbytery and the base of the bell tower.
To conclude, the Oratory of Divine Providence dating back to the fifteenth century which around 1680 had considerable renovation works such as the addition of a bell tower, some buttresses and the partial elimination of the portico.
Subsequently, I recommend visiting a farm dedicated to the cultivation of the famous Cilavegna Asparagus, the fruit and vegetable pride of Lomellina and the entire Pavia area, where an expert will also introduce with historical notes the excellent quality of this product originally from Asia which, once transplanted to this land, was mentioned over five centuries ago for its goodness and versatility.
The cultivation operations of this take place with seeds placed in deep ditches in a humid and sandy subsoil, perfect for the growth of the seedling thanks to the presence of mineral salts and components that generate the only properties of this delicacy that for many years has been the protagonist of a festival celebrated in Cilavegna, an event organized by the Pro Loco.
This event is also known for a wide gastronomic offer with highlights this iconic asparagus alongside musical and folkloristic performances attracting thousands of visitors and gourmets annually on the second Sunday of May.
Cultivated in fields called "Aspargiate", the harvest takes place in spring from March to May, in 1987 the CON.PA was established, an association that protects the name, quality and authenticity of this edible emblem of Lomellina thanks to the contribution of 11 local producers.
The Cilavegna asparagus comes from a length between 20.0 and 30.0 centimeters characterized by their thinness, narrow, soft, with a white color and a tip in pastel pink shades. The taste is sweet, delicate, very persistent even after cooking, a quality that makes it highly appreciated in the culinary scene for being unquestionably very versatile.
In the gastronomic field, this asparagus is excellent if eaten raw, perfect as an ingredient for omelettes, omelettes, quiches, combined with fried eggs, superb in risottos, excellent if browned with butter or olive oil, exquisite in vegetable rolls, also highly recommended for the preparation of creams, ice creams, mousses and baked desserts as in the case of the well-known Laumellinum, speciality of the traditional Lomellina pastry shop that pays homage to this edible symbol.
The asparagus of Cilavegna has also been used since ancient times for medical-curative purposes such as neuralgia, toothache, as a diuretic, antidote against poisons, for some experts it even has aphrodisiac powers and at the end of the visit it is an opportunity to buy it on site.
Time for your lunch, I recommend among the first courses to choose between Risotto with Cilavegna Asparagus or Ravioli with Asparagus with Grana Padano gratin, options among the second courses will be Chicken in Carpione with puff pastry of Bremen Onions with Gorgonzola or Braised with Vegetables, excellent wines on the list, dessert and coffeeis included.
At the end of your preanzo I recommend a stop at the Sanctuary of Sant'Anna located on a beautiful tree-lined avenue that leads to Parona Lomellina.
This beautiful religious building from the 1600s boasts a refined façade and portico with columns forming beautiful arches.
The interior with three naves contains important works of art such as three altars, a beautiful frontal decorated with stuccoes and painted marbles by the artist Vigentino Villa and a magnificent fresco attributed to the master Gaudenzio Ferrari.
The visit to Cilavegna is splendid, a great historical and artistic heritage, captivating landscapes with extensive plains, dense wooded areas on the horizon, gentle hills, delicious gastronomy and this icon called Cilavegna Asparagus which ranks in its kind as an elite product at the national and international level.
link
https://www.comune.cilavegna.pv.it/it-it/home
Where to Stay | Recommended Accommodation in the area
Albergo San Michele
B&B La Castellana
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Thanks a lot to read and note.